Heats of the prized Vicbred Super Series are traditionally strong, but it’s not often you get several of the nominal favourites rock up in the one qualifier.
That’s the case at Warragul tomorrow (Friday) afternoon in the fourth heat of the two-year-old fillies division.
In a major coup for the hard-working south eastern club, gun fillies Fususi (pictured) and Cullens Ace will square off in an $8000 heat at 1pm.
The duo finished one-two in the heat and final of the $50,000 Tatlow Stakes at Moonee Valley during May with Fususi narrowly gaining the upper hand on both occasions.
At their most recent appearances, both missed a place for the first time in their brief careers in the Herald Sun Sapling Stakes won by Oursandybeach, but there were excuses.
The Ted Demmler-trained Cullens Ace, runner-up in the Group 1 Australian Pacing Gold Final earlier this season, raced roughly throughout before galloping inside the last 400-metres.
Fususi, runner-up in this season’s Group 1 Bathurst Gold Tiara Final, led and stopped like a train, but trainer Jayne Davies reports that subsequent blood tests revealed she was suffering from a viral infection.
The duo are both back on song and the headline acts in tomorrow’s 2200-metre event, but it won’t be all one-way traffic with several talented fillies amongst their small band of rivals.
Fususi will start from the extreme front line draw of seven with Chris Alford in the sulky, whilst Cullens Ace will be partnered for the first time by former SA ace Geoff Webster when she lines up in gate five.
Locally-trained Christian Cullen filly Jazzam (three) impressed winning her only start at Ballarat and looms large, as does the Michael Hughes-trained Image Of Ella (six) – a winner at three of her four starts.
At stake for the winner of tomorrow’s heat is a start in the $20,000 semi finals at Moonee Valley on June 30 en route to the Group 1 $100,000 final at the same venue seven nights later.
The eighth heat of the HROA Provincial Cup and the Melton Saddlery 3YO Pace Final also feature on a strong eight race program from Warragul which commences at 12.26pm.
