Trainer Darren McAuliffe believes his front running filly Furious Dame will give the field something to chase in the Group 2 $400,000 Sky Racing-W.A. Guineas (1600m) at Ascot in Perth on Saturday.
Damien Oliver will ride outsider Toppa Dawozza in the W.A Guineas at Ascot. Photo by Sarah Ebbett.
Furious Dame has led at her last two starts for comfortable wins in a 1300m Northam maiden on October 26 and a 1200m 3yo 1MW Handicap at Ascot on November 15.
McAuliffe is confident that Furious Dame will be up to running the 1600m and said that the Universal Ruler filly will be adopting the same front running tactics that saw her in the winner’s stall at her two recent outings.
“She will give them something to chase, and it will add another dimension to the race on Saturday,” McAuliffe told Perth Racing News.
“I don’t think it will bother her (the 1600m), she has pulled up extremely well and she has been trained to run the mile.”
“Obviously you don’t know if she will run the mile until she runs it, she’s not the only one in that boat.”
According to McAuliffe, Furious Dame has drawn perfectly at barrier four with race favourite Disposition jumping from gate two and is certain to be given a dream run by Perth’s leading rider William Pike.
Ben Kennedy takes over from Pike who rode Furious Dame at her last start win at Ascot.
The undefeated Disposition is one of three trained three year olds that trainer Grant Williams will saddle up in the W.A. Guineas and has been posted the $2.40 with Ladbrokes.com.au.
Furious Dame is listed at $12 in the market order while Williams’ two fillies Delicacy and Ideal Image are both marked as $15 chances.
Also high up in the betting is the Trevor Andrews trained Outlaw Pete at $5.50 and Tonto from the Lou Luciani stable at $9.
Three times Melbourne Cup winning jockey Damien Oliver is back in his home state for the Perth Racing Carnival and will be aboard the outsider of the field, $101 chance Toppa Dawozza
Disposition has won all his four race starts and has started favourite three times, delivering for punters on each occasion without any worries.
At his first race start the three year old broke his maiden status with a three and a quarter lengths win over 1000m at Northam on September 21 and followed that up with a two lengths win over 1000m at Belmont on October 1.
Williams then stepped Disposition up to Listed company and even though he was only on the third line of betting at $5, kept his winning momentum going with a two and a quarter lengths victory in the Listed $100,000 Crown Perth-Belgravia Stakes (1200m) at Ascot on October 18 before stepping out as favourite to remain undefeated in Listed $100,000 Fairetha Stakes (1400m) at Ascot on November 8.
