No Misty Eyes For Harvey
20 July, 2018
Thoroughbred
Co-trainer Todd Harvey says he can see no reason why Misty Metal won’t continue her excellent form in the Tabtouch Handicap (1000m) at Belmont on Saturday.
Misty Metal is deep into her winter campaign and carries career-high weight, but Harvey is bullish the Oratorio filly can make it five wins in succession.
“I think when horses have been up for as long as she has and the form that they are in you are waiting for them to put a bodgie run in,” Harvey told Tabradio.
“But I have been very happy with her at home and her work on the grass at Belmont on Tuesday was spot on.
“She obviously goes up in weight a fair bit, but I can’t see her being in any different form than what she has been in.
“She meets a few of the other horses worse off at the weight, but I think that she is going to be hard to beat.”
With the claim of Kate Witten, Misty Metal carries 58.5kg. The apprentice jockey has a perfect record on the three-year-old.
Witten was aboard Misty Metal when she won at Northam in May and at Belmont two weeks ago when scoring over 1200m.
In a field of eight starters, Misty Metal, who has a record of six wins and two placings from 11 starts, has drawn barrier six.
“Kate has been fantastic and has ridden the horse perfectly both times she has ridden her,” Harvey said.
“We have a lot of confidence in her again tomorrow (Saturday).”
Misty Metal ($3.60) and the Adam Durrant-trained Raise A Smile ($3.40) are in a battle for favouritism.
Lindsey Smith’s Thunderstrut and Saturia, trained by Paul Jordan share the third line of betting at $4.20.
Smith believes a quick turnaround was the undoing of his filly when she ran fourth to Misty Metal last-start.
Smith opted to back up Thunderstrut after she held on to defeat Street Fury by a neck over 1000m last month.
Smith hopes a weight advantage, a drop back from 1200m and with barrier one, Thunderstrut can turn the tables on Misty Metal.
“I buttered her up where I should have left a two or three week gap,” Smith said.
“Hopefully she gets the job done going back in distance and from a good barrier.”
Julio Santarelli