3 minute read

Trainer Luke Fernie expects the postponement of the Miss Andretti Stakes (1200m) to tomorrow’s Pinjarra card to enhance the winning prospects of exciting mare Wild Belle.

The Listed event was originally scheduled to be run at Ascot on Saturday but was postponed to tomorrow's card due to warm weather.

Wild Belle was unlucky when she finished fourth behind Ghost Who Walks in the Listed Summer Scorcher (1000m) on January 1.

Luke Fernie said he expected the delayed running of the race advantaged his mare.

"I'm really happy with her," Fernie told TABradio.

"We've got a couple of extra days to put her in cotton wool and get her ready to go to the races.

"She wouldn't be there if she wasn't going as good, if not better, tomorrow.

"Her previous preps it's been band aid after band aid trying to get her through to the races.

"She pulled up super from that and that was the most promising thing of it."

Wild Belle is a commanding $2.05 favourite TABtouch, ahead of Real Danger ($5) and Ghost Who Walks ($6.50).

My Bella Mae, who was one of the main dangers to Wild Belle in the $125,000 event, has been scratched.

William Pike, who rode Real Danger in the Summer Scorcher, teams up with Wild Belle tomorrow from barrier seven.

Fernie said he hoped Wild Belle would be able to jump cleanly tomorrow.

"I'm hoping it's not because of the shades and we can get her out a bit crisper tomorrow," he said.

"Last time was just a trainwreck.

"She's pretty versatile.

"When she's been on the speed is when she's won her races.

"She's also savaged the line when she's been ridden cold.

"There's no real urgency to put her in any particular spot."

Fernie said Quokka slot holders would be "silly not to look at" Wild Belle and was bullish the four-year-old could measure up to the best sprinters in the state.

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