Trots Centre: The Pantheist begins pursuit of another sires crown

While the majority of punters were against him, David Miles went into the Breeders Crown Series three-year-old fillies’ final with plenty of confidence that The Pantheist could upset spruik horse Sweet Louise.

And the Monegeetta trainer’s hopes were rewarded with Group 1 glory when his charge mowed down her main rival in the home straight to win the lucrative feature at Tabcorp Park Melton.

The rematch headlines tonight’s bumper card of Alabar Vicbred Super Series heats at Bray Raceway in Ballarat, and a favourable barrier draw has Miles confident of repeating the dose on Philip Chircop’s star.

The Pantheist has come up with the number two marble, while Sweet Louise has drawn tough in gate nine.

“I think we’ve got the advantage of the barrier draws this time,” Miles said.

“Our filly has got gate speed and should find the front. (Sweet Louise) is probably going to have to come around and sit outside us.

“I don’t think there’s anything that will cross us. I don’t think Amelia Rose will cross us, so we should be able to lead and hold the front. If she’s good enough to sit outside us, so be it.”

While the market suggests Sweet Louise is The Pantheist’s biggest danger, there’s some stiff opposition expected from Emma Stewart’s Amelia Rose.

She finished sixth in the Breeders Crown final, but had a tougher run than the first two over the line. She actually headed The Pantheist at the home turn before fading in the concluding stages.

Miles said given there were bigger goals down the track with the Vicbred final on New Year’s Eve, victory this evening wasn’t the be all and end all.

“If she doesn’t win I won’t be disappointed, but by the same token, I think our filly is the horse to beat,” he said.

While Greg Sugars will take the reins behind The Pantheist, Miles will be at the controls of stablemate Art Of Sheng Li, who steps out in a later three-year-old fillies’ heat.

Despite being drawn the outside of the back row, Miles is confident of a strong showing.

“Leading up to the Breeders Crown, she was flying,” he said. “She won in really good time at Ballarat and then through the Crown – I know she was stepping up in class – but she definitely didn’t go as good as I sort of hoped.

“We’ve given her a real freshen-up, tried to get her back on song and she’s going in a little bit underdone, but I’ll be disappointed if she doesn’t qualify to get through to the semis.”

In a night for the three-year-olds, where 11 of the 12 races are Vicbred heats, the first event gets underway from 5.13pm.

TALKING TROTS ON SENTRACK:

Join Jason Bonnington from 11am-1pm each weekday for Trots Life on SENTrack, which airs on 1593AM in Melbourne, 89.1FM in Muldura, 1539AM in Sydney, 1053AM in Brisbane, 1620AM on the Gold Coast, 657AM in Perth, 801AM in Gosford, 96.9FM in Ingham, 99.1FM in Atherton and 1575AM in Wollongong.

Click here to listen live and for links to download the SEN app.