Gold Coast trained mare Bound For Earth will give top Brisbane jockey Timothy Bell a great chance of winning his first Ramornie Handicap at Grafton on Wednesday.
Jockey Timothy Bell, above, will be hoping to win his first Ramornie Handicap at Grafton on Bound To Earth. Photo by Daniel Costello.
The Toby Edmonds trained Bound For Earth is coming off a solid Queensland Winter Carnival campaign that saw her perform well against some top class company and Bell considered that form strong enough to win the Listed $150,000 Crowe Horwath Ramornie Handicap (1200m), the Grafton Carnival’s feature sprint race.
“I have never won a Ramornie and I think Bound For Earth can be the horse who ticks that box,” Bell told The Courier-Mail.
Bound For Earth, with Blake Shinn in the saddle, was beaten less than two lengths when third to Hazard in the Group 2 $300,000 Best Security Dane Ripper Stakes (1350m) at Doomben on June 6.
Bell then took over the reins and the Northern Meteor mare wasn’t disgraced when fourth to Srikandi in the Group 1 $500,000 Sky Racing Tattersall’s Club Tiara (1400m) at the Gold Coast on June 20.
The Listed Ramornie Handicap is a huge drop in class for Bound For Earth and Bell was more than pleased with her run at the against the Group 1 fillies and mares at the Gold Coast.
“There wasn’t much speed in the Tatts Tiara once Srikandi found the front but my mare travelled quite well in the race and wasn’t beaten far at all,’’ Bell said.
“The Grafton track should suit Bound For Earth and I think there isn’t as much depth in the Ramornie as there was in the Tiara.’’
Bell’s biggest problem will be to find a cosy spot with cover after Bound For Earth drew barrier thirteen in the original sixteen horse field plus two emergencies.
If neither emergency gains a run, Bound For Earth will move in one and jump from gate twelve.
Bound For Earth looks to be good value at $13 with Ladbrokes.com.au who have the Peter and Paul Snowden trained I’ve Got The Looks marked as the $3.80 favourite.
I’ve Got The Looks was also a prominent Winter Carnival performer with wins in the Listed $150,000 Better Than Ready Silk Stocking (1200m) at the Gold Coast on April 25 and in the Listed $100,000 Designline Graphics Juanmo Stakes (1200m) at Doomben on May 9.
But the Choisir mare’s winning run came to an end when she finished eighth as favourite in the Group 3 $150,000 Glenlogan Park Stakes (1350m) at Doomben on May 23.
Ramornie Handicap market order at Ladbrokes.com.au: $3.80 I’ve Got The Looks, $7 Thump, $8 Barbed, $10 Turbulent Jet, Timeless Prince $11 Rocket To Glory, $13 Le Cap, Bound For Earth, $16 Territory, $17 Fare Well, Rock Royalty, $18 Final Cresendo, $26 Nothing Like Luca, Malavio, $34 Single Chance, $51 Curely Mac, $101 Not Doubtful, $201 Wuzetian.
