Trots Centre: Alford ready to ride the Wave to Home Grown success

On a night when Ballarat hosts a plethora of talented up-and-coming horses, champion reinsman Chris Alford has declared a gun filly from the Emma Stewart yard the best of his chances on the card.

Rogue Wave was scintillating on debut at Shepparton on September 17, recording a 1:54.3 mile rate on her way to a dominant 18.7m victory and Alford is tipping improvement from the daughter of Somebeachsomewhere in tonight’s two-year-old fillies heat of the Alabar Vicbred Platinum Home Grown Classic.

“She was really good first-up. She didn’t really know what she was doing so the run would have sharpened her up and she ran good time and did it pretty easy,” he said.

“Clayton seems to think she is pretty good. She was still pricking her ears running up the home straight, so she still had a fair bit of gas left the other night.”

On a bumper card of racing, five heats of the series will be held with three for the two-year-old fillies and two for the two-year-old colts and geldings.

Alford has four other drives this evening, including a first-starter for Craig Cross called In Charge.

She is a daughter of Somebeachsomewhere and by the mare Amarillen, dam of Villagem, Miss Graceland and Nostra Beach. The horse has won two Menangle trials en route to her debut in Victoria.

Group 2 $50,000 Home Grown Classic finals will be held at Tabcorp Park Melton on October 10.

CHRIS ALFORD ON HIS DRIVES TONIGHT:

Lather Up @ Woodlands Stud Pace (Race 1): El Boston (trtainer Kelvin Barker)
“He ran at Bendigo the other night in a stronger field. Drawn the back, but as long as he backs up all right from a three-day turnaround he’ll go close.”

Alabar Vicbred Platinum Home Grown Classic 2YO fillies (Race 2): In Charge (trainer Craig Cross)
“I can’t really tell you a lot about that one. I think it has trialled quite well at Menangle and I think the owner has got a pretty high opinion of it.”

Drever Signs Pace (Race 3): Auckland Red (trainer Michael Cole)
“Got a good draw and been racing well. The Aiken horse looks pretty smart so will be hard to beat, but should be right there from the draw.”

Alabar Vicbred Platinum Home Grown Classic 2YO C&Gs (Race 4): Rogue Wave (Emma Stewart)
“I think baring anything going wrong, she’s the horse to beat.”

Alabar Vicbred Platinum Home Grown Classic 2YO C&Gs (Race 7): Knights Templar (G J Quinlan, D J Quinlan)
“He won well first-up and then unfortunately galloped shortly after the start at Kilmore, but made up a heap of ground. It’s a tricky draw, but he’s a top three chance with the right luck.”
 

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