While a Magic Millions appearance would have been the ideal outcome, Brett Dodson is pleased to have Petticoat lining up in Saturday’s feature meeting at Wyong.
The Coffs Harbour trainer will send out his stable standout in the $160,000 Lawrie McKinna Mayor’s Cup F&M BM78 Handicap (1100m).
Petticoat, a four-year-old daughter of Better Than Ready and a $100,000 Book 2 purchase from the 2023 Gold Coast Sale, narrowly failed to qualify for the $500,000 Country Cup at next week’s Magic Millions Carnival.
“She didn’t start enough times in the provincial and country area in the last 12 months, so that put paid to the Country Cup at the Magic Millions and there was another Class 6 Plate up there, but I just thought that was going to be a high-pressure 1200 race,” Dodson said.
“So I spotted Wyong and with the race’s 78 rating – she’s about a 72 now – that gets her in reasonably and then when we take another two (kilos) off with Anna’s claim, that brings her in even better.”
Anna Roper will claim aboard Petticoat, who has drawn gate seven with the field trimmed to 10 following the withdrawal of Big Red Tequila and Slinky.
The mare has firmed into the second line of betting behind Beside The Ocean and brings solid Sydney form into the race.
Petticoat resumed at Randwick on December 27, finishing fifth over 1100 metres, beaten 2¾ lengths by Ice Kool, who has since emerged as a leading Sunlight contender.
That run followed her Highway win over 1000 metres at Randwick on Melbourne Cup Day, and Dodson expects improvement second-up.
Markets are open with leading online bookmakers for the Lawrie McKinna Mayor’s Cup, offering punters a range of wagering options.
“There’s nothing wrong with that form and I think the run probably did her the world of good,” Dodson said.
“I was probably just that little bit soft on her having six weeks in between runs, so I think she’ll improve off that and if she does show that little bit of improvement, she’s got to be in finish.”
The post Petticoat off to Wyong first appeared on Just Horse Racing.
