David and Lisa Miles are chasing more feature race success this weekend
While the two-year-old trotting filly has her share of ability – as five placings from six starts suggests – her stature is what will set her apart from her rivals in Sunday’s Group 1 Seelite Windows and Doors Redwood Classic.
David Miles, who will drive the daughter of 1993 Redwood champion Wagon Apollo in Sunday’s $50,000 event, said he has never driven a horse as small. But what she lacks in size she makes up for in “heart”.
“The day after the Sires final she weighed in at 339 kilos,” Miles said. “Most people will be amazed by that, but she really is a pit pony.
“She’s small enough but she makes up for it in attitude. Her attitude is three times the size of her and she can really turn it on when she wants to.”
Miles and his wife Lisa, who trains the pocket rocket, have their fingers crossed the agreeable Dottie Hinson turns up for Sunday’s 2190-metre standing start event, to be run at 2.46pm.
She proved her ability with her Vicbred second placing, behind Redwood rival Trottn On The Ritz, but Miles said her ability to co-operate at the start is what could hinder her chances this weekend.
“She’s definitely a risk at the start,” Miles said. “She is out of the draw for a reason, but it will help her being out there and we’ve got a good horse to follow away in Trottn On The Ritz.
“She either goes away very, very quick or she’ll be right out the back. I think it’s a very good spot for her to draw out there and I was very happy when I saw she was the only one out of the draw.”
Miles concedes that Trottn On The Ritz, the $3.10 favourite in TAB Sportsbet’s fixed odds market, and A Touch Of Flair’s half-brother Down Under Muscles ($5) are the horses to beat on Sunday.
Trottn On The Ritz, to be driven by Daryl Douglas will start from barrier six with the Chris Alford-trained-and-driven Down Under Muscles in barrier two. Dottie Hinson is a $14 chance with TAB Sportsbet.
“Daryl’s and Chris’s horses are the two high-profile horses and probably the two horses with the most ability, but in saying that they can be risky at times and that’s what makes it a very intriguing race,” Miles said.