BARRETT DRAWS OUTSIDE SECOND ROW IN FINAL
Barrett’s chances in the $104,000 Bathurst Gold Chalice Final have lengthened after drawing the outside of the second row in the Group One Final on Friday night.
Barrett, tough draws at Bathurst continue in the Group One Chalice Final on Friday night.
The Bettor’s Delight colt was a strong-finishing third in last Friday’s heat, in his Australian race debut for driver Guy Chappie.
The Mark Jones and Aaron Goadsby-trained pacer lugged in near line, narrowly missing second in the Third Chalice Heat, won by hot $1.50 front-running favourite, First Spring.
Bettor Jiggle, who trailed, held second, with Barrett, who drew the outside of the front row, an eye-catching run after being forced wide from three back on the outer when launching his run wide on the home turn.
First String, a Roll With Joe colt, trained by Craig Cross, scored easily for driver Luke McCarthy, in a 1:58.8 rate for the 2260m.
The winner is from a NZ-bred mare in (My) Prima Bella, a half-sister by Mach Three to 2011 NZ Harnes Horse of the Year, champion filly Carabella (p3, 1:55.2, 17 wins from 19 starts & $693,617).
(My) Prima Bella (by Mach Three), who qualified and only raced twice, has left five sub 2:00 winners.
First String, who won last season’s Group One Queensland Qbred Triad 2YO colts and geldings Final in 1:56.4 (1660m), has now won six and been three times placed in 16 starts for $90,965.
Her other winners are: Watch This Spot (1:57.2, nine wins & $36,426), (My) Bettor Bella (1:53.6, 10 wins & $95,055), Im Toot (1:57.5, five wins), and Veloce Bella (1:57.2, five wins).
The other Chalice heats were won by $1.04 favourite Lochinvar Art (1:56.2 rate), $1.12 favourite Shoobee Doo (1:56.7 rate) and $10 winner, Barrett’s close relative, Let’s Go To Brazil (1:57.6 rate).
The field for Friday’s Final, to be run at 11.03pm (NZ time) is: Let’s Go To Brazil 1, Straddie 2, Bettor Jiggle 3, College Chapel 4, Shoobee Doo 5, Bracken Storm 6, Firestorm Red (E2) 7, Uncle Jord 8; SECOND ROW, Lochinvar Art 9, Roll With Lachlan 10, First String 11, Star Major 12, Barrett 13, War Dan Delight (E1) 14, fr.