Image: Bradley Photos
In an ideal world, Brett Dodson would be preparing Petticoat for a race at the lavish Magic Millions Carnival, but he is more than happy to be part of Saturday’s Wyong meeting.
The Coffs Harbor trainer has stable star Petticoat involved in the $160,000 Lawrie McKinna Mayor’s Cup F&M BM78 Handicap (1100m).
The four-year-old daughter of Better Than Ready, a $100,000 Book 2 purchase at the 2023 Gold Coast Sale, fell just short of qualifying for next week’s $500,000 Country Cup, leaving the $250,000 Class 6 as the only other option, meaning Dodson was keen to target Wyong.
“She didn’t start enough provincially and nationally in the last 12 months, so that put money into the Country Cup at the Magic Millions and there was a Class 6 plate up there, but I just thought this was going to be a high-pressure 1200 race,” he said.
“So I saw Wyong and with the race’s rating of 78 – she’s about a 72 now – she’s coming in pretty well, and then if we lose another two kilos with Anna’s claim, that’ll put her in even better.”
Apprentice jockey Anna Roper will team up with Petticoat at Wyong and the pair find themselves in barrier seven with a field of ten after scratching early favorites Big Red Tequila and Slinky.
Petticoat now occupies the second betting line, behind Farnan’s half-sister Beside The Ocean, and while she may miss Magic Millions, she has the form of one of the leading contenders for one of next Saturday’s features on the Gold Coast.
Petticoat was last seen at Randwick on December 27, when she finished fifth in an 1100m race won by The Sunlight Fancy Ice Kool.
That was her first start since winning a 1000m highway at Randwick on Melbourne Cup Day and Dodson said the improvement from that event should stand her in good stead.
“There’s nothing wrong with that form and I think the run probably did her a lot of good,” he said.
“I was probably just a little bit gentle on her with six weeks between runs, so I think she’ll get better from that and if she shows that little bit of improvement she should be at the finish line.”
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