Race favourite Viddora drew beautifully at barrier five in Saturday’s Group 1 $1m Crown Perth Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) at Ascot in Perth.
Trainer Lloyd Kennewell had said earlier in the week that he would be happy for Viddora to draw anywhere in the fifteen horse field except barrier one and barrier five saw Kennewell tweet out the ‘she’s apples’ symbol on twitter.
“I am not really worried about the draw to be honest. You can’t change it, you can’t make it,” Kennewell said earlier in the week before the barrier draw was held on Tuesday.
“She will lob in the field where she jumps, but probably don’t want to draw one. Because she gets back a bit, you really don’t want to draw one.”
“I’ll be happy if we drew somewhere in the middle and then Joe can take care of business after that.”
The Peter Gelagotis trained Malaguerra also drew safely in the middle of the pack at barrier seven and will wear the blinkers for the first time with Ben Melham in the saddle again.
One of the outsiders in the field Belter drew the rails while the Leon and Troy Corstens trained Runson will jump from the outside gate.
Viddora has continued to firm in the betting for the Winterbottom Stakes after the barrier draw and is now the $2.80 favourite with Ladbrokes.com.au with the nearest in the betting is William Pike’s mount Enticing Star at $7.
Betting for the 2018 Winterbottom Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au: $2.80 Viddora, $7 Enticing Star, $8 Malaguerra, $9 Voodoo Lad, $12 Runson, I’ll Have A Bit, $14 Malibu Style, $16 Dainty Tess, $18 Ashlor, $26 Durendal, $34 Profit Street, $51 Belter, Valour Road, Seannie, $81 Rebel King.
Final field and barrier draw for the 2018 Winterbottom Stakes (1200m)
# | Horse | Br | Wgt | Rtg | Rider | Trainer |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | MALAGUERRA | 7 | 58.5 | m111 | BEN MELHAM | PETER GELAGOTIS |
2 | VOODOO LAD | 14 | 58.5 | m109 | DAMIEN OLIVER | DARREN WEIR |
3 | DURENDAL | 12 | 58.5 | m105 | SHAUN MC GRUDDY | CHRIS GANGEMI |
4 | REBEL KING | 4 | 58.5 | m100 | JARRAD NOSKE | DARREN MC AULIFFE |
5 | MALIBU STYLE | 6 | 58.5 | m101 | STEVEN PARNHAM | NEVILLE PARNHAM |
6 | PROFIT STREET | 2 | 58.5 | m96 | MITCHELL PATEMAN | PETER & MATT GIADRESCO |
7 | ASHLOR | 8 | 58.5 | m97 | DANIEL STACKHOUSE | DAN MCCARTHY |
8 | RUNSON | 15 | 58.5 | m97 | STEPHEN BASTER | LEON & TROY CORSTENS |
9 | BELTER | 1 | 58.5 | m92 | PATRICK CARBERY | SEAN CASEY |
10 | VIDDORA | 5 | 56.5 | m109 | JOE BOWDITCH | LLOYD KENNEWELL |
11 | DAINTY TESS | 11 | 56.5 | m105 | PAUL HARVEY | DANIEL MORTON |
12 | I’LL HAVE A BIT | 10 | 56.5 | m96 | CHRIS PARNHAM | JOHN MCARDLE |
13 | ENTICING STAR | 13 | 56.5 | m96 | WILLIAM PIKE | ADAM DURRANT |
14 | SEANNIE | 9 | 56.5 | m77 | LUCY WARWICK | LINDSEY SMITH |
15 | VALOUR ROAD | 3 | 54.5 | m84 | BEN ALLEN | SIMON A. MILLER |