Resortman To Maintain Unbeaten Status.
Michael Lane can see no reason why his promising three-year-old Resortman can’t continue his winning ways and extend his unbeaten streak at Belmont on Saturday.
The Helmet gelding has flashed huge potential in winning the opening two races of his career and he has the looks of a horse that is on an upwards spiral to bigger races.
Resortman stormed home to win on debut at Bunbury in January and resumed two weeks ago to record another impressive victory at Ascot when first-up.
Stepping up from his two wins at 1200m to 1400m, Resortman is a short-priced favourite to complete a winning hat trick in the Heineken 3 Handicap.
“He has done well and trained on,” Lane said on Tabradio.
“No reason why he won’t be good, he’s done well at home.
“On his breeding he should get the 1400m no worries.
‘”Hopefully it all goes to plan for him.”
In a field of nine horses, Resortman will jump from barrier seven. Kyra Yuill retains the mount.
Lane is not concerned where Resortman lands in running.
“There are no real plans and Kyra will let him see how he jumps,” Lane said.
“If he gets back, he gets back, you would think he would get back a bit.
“It’s only a nine horse field so we will let that play out for itself.”
Lane takes four horses to Belmont with Resortman the pick, but stable mate Black Ducati has come in for plenty of solid support from punters.
The Blackfriars mare won first-up in April and last-start from a wide draw she went back and charged home to finish a close-up third to Double Bubble.
Drawn to be closer to the leaders from barrier six and going up to 1400m, Lane expects Black Ducati to produce another winning performance in the Crown Perth Handicap.
“I was really happy with her last-start run, there was a bit of an on pace bias that day,” Lane said.
“I’m really happy with the way she has come up this prep.
“I didn’t think I would get another prep out of her with her legs.
“But she is going really good and her legs are really good at the moment.
“Very happy with her progress.”
Black Ducati is into $2.65, firming from $4 when markets opened. Chris Parnham has the ride.
Meanwhile Lane says a wide draw will make it difficult for last-start winner Miss Ivy League in the Laverrod Western Racepix Ascot Horse of the Year Plate (1300m).
He considers Rusty Spirit to be a place chance in the Tabtouch Westspeed Platinum Maiden (1600m).
Julio Santarelli