Nearest To Pin scored an upset win in the Listed All Victorian Sprint Series Final (1200m) at Flemington on July 12 and trainer Leon Macdonald gives him a chance of causing another boil over in the Bletchingly Stakes this weekend.
Nearest To Pin will take on Lord Of The Sky in the Bletchingly Stakes at Caulfield this weekend. Photo by: Jenny Barnes
Vain Queen went into the All Victorian Sprint Series Final as a dominant favourite and was expected to score her third straight victory, but she was unable to go with Nearest To Pin in the final stages of the race and the Golden Lake gelding scored a narrow win over Le Bonsir and Shanghai Warrior.
Talented sprinter Lord Of The Sky has opened as a clear $1.65 favourite in the 2014 Bletchingly Stakes betting market with Ladbrokes Australia and Macdonald admits that the John Monash Stakes winner will be tough to beat, but Macdonald told Racing Ahead this morning that he is happy to give his consistent gelding a chance of scoring a maiden win at Group level.
“He won very well a fortnight ago,” Macdonald said.
“I know that Lord Of The Sky looks extremely hard to beat, but I think a fortnight ago we thought the same about Vain Queen and she didn’t quiet fire.
“I don’t think that you can dodge one horse.
“He doesn’t do that much on the track, but he looks well and he is just one of those horses that just keeps on keeping on.
“Nick (Hall) will ride him again.”
Nearest To Pin has been a consistent performer throughout his racing career and he is yet to run a bad race since he returned to the races with a third place finish in the Listed Matrice Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville on March 10.
The four-year-old finished in the placings in both the Taylor Collison Handicap (1200m) at Morphettville on March 22 and the Pink Ribbon Cup (1200m) at Caulfield on April 12, but tired slightly in the final stages of the Group 3 McKay Stakes (1100m) on April 26.
Nearest To Pin returned to winning form in the Stamford Grand Handicap (1250m) at Morphettville Parks on May 17 and finished fourth in a heat of the All Victorian Sprint Series before he was narrowly denied by Pillar Of Creation in the Best Tote Plus Handicap (1200m) at Moonee Valley on June 21.
Nearest To Pin is currently on the third line of Bletchingly Stakes betting markets at a quote of $8.50, while Le Bonsir ($6.50) is on the second line of betting from Lord Of The Sky.
