Kept For Pleasure on her way to Victoria Oaks glory
White-hot filly Kept For Pleasure could be the “Buddy” Franklin of Australian harness racing.
In much the same way the freakish Hawthorn forward is running rings around AFL defenders, the Susan Hunter-trained filly has spent the past five weeks kicking goals galore on Victorian racetracks.
She has effortlessly won her past three starts, the best of which was the Group 1 Nevele R Stud Victoria Oaks at Bendigo on April 26.
Kept For Pleasure’s driver, champion reinsman Gavin Lang, suspects that like Buddy, self-confidence is the least of the star filly’s concerns at the moment.
“She’s big and strong physically, but she’s also right on top of game mentally at the moment,” Lang said.
“Her confidence is up and she’s going to the track thinking she can’t be beaten and that’s a big thing with horses.”
That being the case, you wonder how the daughter of Safely Kept’s rivals are going to stop her in the first of two Vicbred Super Series semi finals at Moonee Valley on Thursday night.
Maintaining her dream run with barrier draws, the winner of 10 of her 17 starts will roll from gate three in the Bolinda Publishing-sponsored semi at 7.12pm, with her biggest threats to start from the back row.
Dazed And Confused, who Lang has driven to impressive wins at Shepparton and Geelong, will start from gate 10 with Chris Alford in the cart, while the David Murphy-trained-and-driven Show Me Amber has barrier nine.
It is a different story in the Renown Silverware-sponsored semi, to be run at 8.42pm, where the top two fancies have both drawn the back row.
Vista Bella, runner-up to Kept For Pleasure in the Oaks, will start from barrier 10, while commanding heat winner Staccato, the reigning Breeders Crown champion, will be directly on her outside.
The first five home in each semi, along with the fastest sixth placegetter, will progress to the $100,000 Group 1 final at Moonee Valley on May 30.
