Luck goes a long way in racing.
And Mark Dux is hoping he has a little on his side when he lines up in the Gr.2 $50,000 QBRED Breeders Classic 3yo Fillies Final at Albion Park on Friday night with his talented prospect Covert Beauty.
So far, luck has deserted them both.
Following the barrier draw earlier this week, Dux has been in a dilemma about which path to navigate with his classy filly.
“It’s probably the only draw I didn’t want with her, its nasty and gives you very little room to move but we can’t change it now so we have to deal with it. Getting a good draw is so crucial in today’s racing, you only have to look at results to realise that.” Dux said.
While the draw has taken some of the gloss of the feature event for Dux, he can’t hide his enthusiasm about his pupil.
The homebred Art Official – Our Lillyfield filly has returned in sparkling form this season and has finished no further back than fourth in her 8 starts to date this campaign which includes a career best performance at Albion Park three starts ago in 1:54.3.
Covert Beauty enters Friday’s feature as an easy last start winner at Redcliffe where she came off the pace before scoring decisively.
The leading stables of Grant Dixon loom as the biggest threat to Covert Beauty with Reds Jet Star, Cherish The Moment, Charms On A Roll and Get In The Groove all sporting the familiar black and white checks.
“Obviously Grant’s stable will be the toughest to beat, both Cherish The Moment and Get In The Groove are high quality fillies but I think my filly can feature with some normal luck. Tactically, it will be an interesting race because there are some fast beginners drawn off the front-line which could open things up.
“My filly is versatile and she’s sensible, we probably need a genuine speed being set because of our draw but if we get it, I think we can play a hand in the finish. I like the way she has come up this campaign and she’s trained on well since her latest victory.
“Another bonus with my filly is the distance, she likes the longer races and with her turn of foot, it can be a dangerous combination. It all comes down to luck and if we get it, we’ll be in the mix for sure.”
Covert Beauty is raced by Mark’s older brother, Stephen.
The QBRED Breeders Classic 3yo Fillies Final is scheduled as race 4 at 6.54pm.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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