Brilliant sprinting mare In Her Time has been solid in the betting in the lead up to the Group 1 $1m Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes (1200m) at The Valley on Friday night.

In Her Time, above, is solid in the betting for the Manikato Stakes at The Valley. Photo by Steve Hart.

In Her Time, above, is solid in the betting for the Manikato Stakes at The Valley. Photo by Steve Hart.

The Ben Smith trained In Her Time is holding her spot on the second line of betting at $5 with Ladbrokes.com.au behind the $2.25 Manikato Stakes favourite Vega Magic.

In Her Time failed to gain a slot in the $10m The Everest (1200m) at Randwick on October 14 but ran a tenth of a second faster (1:08.26) than Everest winner Redzel (1:08.36) when she won ‘The Consolation’, the $500,000 Sydney Stakes (1200m) on the same program.

In Her Time has been placed twice at Group 1 level so far and Smith said that the five year old mare is in with a great chance in the Manikato Stakes coming off her brilliant win in the Sydney Stakes.

“The reality is that she missed out on a slot. Other horses had better proposals to work out deals with the slot holders,” Smith told the Herald Sun.

“It didn’t happen. She still won a $500,000 race so it wasn’t too bad.”

“She was unlucky in those Group 1 races last year. She’s at that level so she’s got to compete against those horses every start — they’re not easy races.”

In Her Time has drawn nicely at barrier two in the eleven horse Manikato Stakes field and race jockey Corey Brown couldn’t be happier with the way the mare is travelling.

“She has been going really really well. She won well first up and we got the consolation,” Brown said.

The favourite Vega Magic has been a model of consistency since joining the David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig Team claiming two Group 1 trophies before running a gallant second to Redzel in The Everest.

The former West Australian trained sprinter scored a first up win for the Lindsay Park Team in the Group 1 $1m Darley Goodwood (1200m) at Morphettville on May 20 and was in the Group 1 winner’s stall again two starts back with his victory in the $1m New Zealand Bloodstock Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on September 2.

Craig Williams will again be aboard Vega Magic who has drawn barrier three in the Manikato Stakes.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.