Assetro Ready To Fly
2 March, 2018
Thoroughbred
T
THOROUGHBRED
Promising filly Assetro will look to strengthen her Karrakatta Plate claims in tomorrow’s TABtouch Plate (1100m) at Ascot.
The Blackfriars filly was most unlucky when she finished third behind Saetta over 1200m a fortnight ago, following an impressive win on debut on New Year’s Day.
Prior to her last start, trainer Adam Durrant indicated the filly would improve when she stepped up in trip, but said he saw enough in the run to drop her back to the 1100m tomorrow.
“She was still able to pick herself up and rip ground off them late,” Durrant told TABradio’s The Sports Daily.
“When he (jockey Clint Johnston-Porter) actually got serious with her, she made up four or five lengths.
“For mine, that’s not a horse that is just a dour stayer, it’s a horse with a bit of a turn of foot.”
William Pike rode the filly in her first trial on December 11, but has not ridden her in race conditions yet.
Assetro is a clear favourite with TABtouch at $2, ahead of the Fred Kersley-trained debutant Onya Head at $6, with Emerald Rose at $7.
Last week’s two-year-old winner Party Night is at $7.50, with Ryan Hill once again booked for the ride.
Durrant will also saddle up tough four-year-old Sweet Ora in tomorrow’s Iron Jack Handicap (1400m).
The mare has been placed in her first two attempts at the trip, including a second placing to Royal Missile in the TABtouch Pearl at Pinjarra on February 10, and the leading trainer said he has been pleasantly surprised with the last two runs.
“Before that Pinjarra run we talked about retiring her,” he said.
“Both runs over the trip have been good, and she has shown that ambition to want to race, so we will press on with her.”
Durrant said he expected Candlelight Star to make his presence felt in the penultimate event at Ascot, especially if conditions suited the backmarkers.
It hasn’t all been a smooth build up for the Durrant stable though, he has been forced to scratch last start winner How To Fly from tomorrow’s Seacorp Handicap due to a sore foot.
The Ascot meeting gets underway at 1.18pm tomorrow.
Tim Walker