Melbourne filly Pretty Brazen is set to take on the Sydney two year olds in the $2m 2019 Inglis Millennium (1200m) at Warwick Farm on Saturday.
Dawn Passage, above, is the favourite for the 2019 Inglis Millennium at Warwick Farm. Photo by Steve Hart.
Pretty Brazen is at double figure odds with Ladbrokes.com.au but trainer Tony McEvoy believes the Brazen Beau filly can be very competitive with the two local colts Dawn Passage and Accession who are fighting for favouritism at the top of the market order.
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained Dawn Passage is the ruling favourite at $3 just ahead of Chris Waller’s Accession at $3.30 while Pretty Brazen is listed as a $20 chance for the Inglis Millennium.
Dawn Approach and Accession are both coming of very impressive wins at Randwick and Rosehill while Pretty Brazen is yet to win from two race starts.
Pretty Brazen was beaten a nose on debut when second to Microphone down the Flemington straight in a 1000m two year old Plate on January 12 and was then beaten two and a quarter lengths when fourth behind Catch Me in the Group 3 $160,000 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Preview (Fillies) (1000m) at Caulfield on Australia Day.
McEvoy considers the form around the Peter and Paul Snowden trained Catch Me is very strong and he can see his filly being very competitive against the Sydney youngsters.
“The top two in this race did look very impressive and it is very hard to line up the form, but I know my filly is very classy,” McEvoy said.
“Her run down the straight at Flemington was a fabulous performance, she got a little bit lost on the inside. On that day there was no other horses went near the inside rail all day so that sought of says that the ground was possibly inferior, and she just missed.”
“And then ran beautifully behind Catch Me which is probably the form of the two year olds at the moment and I thought she was really competitive in that, just finding the 1000m a little bit sharp.”
“So the 1200m of this race is fantastic for her.”
Corey Brown takes the ride on Pretty Brazen and McEvoy is happy with barrier eight in the fifteen horse Inglis Millennium field.
“I think it is a great draw,” McEvoy said.
“Right in the middle as Hughie (Bowman, Accession)) said he would have preferred to draw eight.”
McEvoy said that Pretty Brazen had settled into her new surrounding in great order since arriving a couple of days ago and is ready to perform at her top on Saturday.
“She has been here a few days and she is very tough, she hasn’t left an oat and I couldn’t be more pleased with her this morning (Tuesday). She just cruised around and she is ready for her contest on Saturday,” McEvoy said.
“She is a beautiful filly. Like a colt, big and strong and powerful and she goes well.”
