By Ray Hickson
It looks an ideal scenario for Photographics on paper at Randwick on Saturday and jockey Molly Bourke can only hope the filly is reading from the script.
The leading apprentice arguably knows the three-year-old better than her trainer John Sargent and can see the Midway Handicap (1100m) panning out perfectly for her coming off a month’s break.
But she’s also been known to put in an inexplicable performance so Bourke is hopeful the race is run to suit because she feels the filly is ready to win.
“It’s another really good race for her,’’ she said.
Molly Bourke (Pic: Bradley Photos).
“She’s not the most straightforward, we’ve had a couple of setbacks with her where we thought we had her on target and she puts a bad one in and we can’t explain it.
“When she is right she has plenty of raw ability. She’s had a bit of a freshen up and had that tickover trial, she was nice and fresh and seemed to be doing it off her own back.”
The key to Photographics winning on Saturday, according to Bourke, is held by her rival Sunrise.
In her screenplay it says the filly will jump well, they’ll run along up front, she’ll get into her comfort zone and then dash as she did when winning a Midway at Randwick back in February.
“It’s probably the most ideal situation because she needs a fast run race,’’ she said.
“I do think she is better with a horse to follow but they have to be going quick enough because if she gets held up that’s where she really resents it.
“I don’t know if she’s a typical, sassy, mare when things don’t go her way it’s when she’s been in a slow tempo race.
“Having something to put the speed into the race, where she can sit at a comfortable cruising speed, it’s good.”
Bourke, who heads into the ANZAC long weekend double header with a two win lead over Braith Nock in the apprentices premiership, says staying mare So Dazzling should be in for a good preparation but will be in need of the run in the TAB Handicap (1600m).
The 2023 ATC Oaks runner-up has only won once in 24 starts and on the back of two trials Bourke expects to see something positive fresh.
If it happened to rain and the track was testing she may be a sneaky chance.
“I do feel like she has come up well this prep, her last trial she hit the line quite strongly and I was impressed with her,’’ she said.
“It’s a starting point and she will be better with a run under her belt and up in distance but I don’t expect her to disgrace herself.”
All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Randwick meeting