In-form trainer Sue Olive believes three-year-old Blue Lagoon will continue his upward trajectory and has what it takes to conquer the $100,000 Skyracing.tv Provincial Championship Series Final (1400m) at Belmont.
The series invites qualifiers from regional circuits Albany, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Narrogin, Northam, Pinjarra and York to contest the six-figure feature at Belmont and give provincial horses a big payday on Saturday.
Blue Lagoon was a cosy winner of his heat at Geraldton, when trailing the pacemaker throughout before shooting through a gap upon straightening.
Apprentice jockey Chanel Cooper did not pull the whip and merely nudged Blue Lagoon out to make sure as he coasted home to score by a long-neck from Fortune’s Luck, who will re-oppose this weekend.
Trainer Sue Olive thinks Blue Lagoon, who is a $5 third favourite with TABtouch, is capable of more than he’s shown so far.
“We bred him and he’s been a bit unfortunate so far,” she said.
“Shaun McGruddy said he should’ve won the Fairetha, he got off him and said ‘oh my god, I’m so sorry’ because he got locked up.
“He certainly has the scope and we’ve got high hopes for him.”
Olive indicated from barrier four Blue Lagoon would be given time to balance up before beginning his usual finishing burst.
“Brayden Gaerth has ridden the horse before, so he knows him,” she said.
“He should settle midfield and there’s no reason why he can’t bring it home.
“I think he’ll get up to the mile with time.”
Olive also has Catch The Red Eye ($21) and Miss Rockjoy ($8) engaged earlier in races four and five, with both also being last start winners.
“Catch The Red Eye obviously faces a much stronger race but I’d be hoping for a top four finish at least,” she said.
“Miss Rockjoy has plenty of potential and has also been quite unlucky.
“She’s finished second in the Champion Fillies and third in the Burgess Queen, so she’s got plenty of ability.”
Meanwhile, trainer Peter Fernie believes $4 race favourite Abloh can repeat his heroics in last year’s final by securing the Provincial Championship Final, suggesting he’s even better 12 months on.
“He went really good (in his heat) — I just hope there’s no rain tomorrow,” Fernie told TABradio.
“The barrier is a bit of an issue, but he can get back anyway.
“He looks better and he’s matured into a beautiful big horse and he’s doing everything right at home, so the proof’s going to be in the pudding tomorrow.”
Fernie cites the $4.40 second favourite Californication as the one to beat having defeated Abloh in their heat.
“The other horse from Kal, Californication, is a really good horse, he’s only very young,” he said.
He hasn’t done a lot wrong since he’s been racing and I think he’s a pretty fair horse.”
Source Agencies
