Trainer Tony McEvoy has dismissed the thought of a wide barrier being detrimental to the chances of Run Naan in the Group 3 $200,000 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Prelude (1100m) for the colts and geldings at Caulfield on Saturday.
Run Naan, above, has drawn a wide barrier in the Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Prelude at Caulfield. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Run Naan will jump from barrier nine in the Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Prelude field that has been reduced to thirteen runners following the early scratching of the Robbie Griffiths trained John Booke.
Andrew Mallyon has been aboard Run Naan for all of his three starts and McEvoy can see him settling the Makfi colt out of trouble from the wide draw before giving him a clear run to the line.
“I think he is drawn right, he will sit out there, he needs galloping room,” McEvoy told The Daily Telegraph.
Run Naan was undefeated from two starts during the 2017 Spring Carnival with a win in an 1100m Bendigo two year old maiden followed by a win in the Group 3 $150,000 AAMI Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) down the Flemington straight on the last day of the 2017 Melbourne Cup Carnival.
Run Naan has had one run back from a spell and McEvoy is expecting a lot of improvement on his first up third behind Long Leaf and Ollivander in the Listed $150,000 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Preview (C&G) (1000m) at Caulfield on January 27.
“Run Naan is going better than ever, he has come on in leaps and bounds,’’ McEvoy said.
Run Naan is marked at $8 for the Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Prelude at Ladbrokes.com.au and will clash again with the Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra trained Ollivander who is on the second line of betting at $4.60.
The James Cummings trained Plague Stone heads up the betting at $3.90 and has drawn in close at barrier four with Kerrin McEvoy in the saddle.
Plague Stone was given a freshen up following his debut run when second to Secret Lady in the $150,000 Golden Gift (1100m) at Rosehill on November 25.
Also well in contention at $5.50 is the Darren Weir trained Native Soldier who has won his last two starts, an 1100m Geelong Maiden on December 26 and a 1000m two year old Plate at The Valley on Australia Day.
Mark Zahra takes over from Brad Rawiller on Native Soldier who has drawn barrier eight.
