By Ray Hickson
Runaway premiership leader Brenton Avdulla says he knows smart galloper Dreamforce well enough not to get concerned about another wide gate at Rosehill on Saturday.
For the third time in as many starts this preparation the John Thompson-trained Dreamforce will jump from barrier 13 in the Listed $150,000 Winter Stakes (1400m).
"He’s a horse I’ve had a bit of luck with, I know how to get the best out of him and I’m hoping things can fall into place for him and he can get a stakes victory,’’ Avdulla said.
“I’m not too worried about it, he begins well and from where I’ve drawn I’ve got to roll the dice and see what happens.
“From a good draw he could possie up with cover. I’ll see how the track is playing and what the others are doing around me.’’
Dreamforce resumed with a last to first win over 1100m at Randwick then returned to his usual on pace style when he was run down late by outsider Liapari in the Civic Stakes (1350m) on June 30.
Dreamforce is run down in the shadows in the Civic Stakes at Rosehill on June 30
Punters Intel data out of the Civic shows Dreamforce matched the speedy Jungle Edge in the first 150m then ran 11.17 and 11.74 for his next two 200m splits which were third and second fastest respectively.
He didn’t have anything left to put into his last 200m (12.40) and Avdulla knew that he’d be a sitting shot.
“I thought at the furlong I was the winner but I did know I’d worked and was going to be vulnerable late,’’ he said.
“I thought he handled himself really well, by all reports he’s trained on well, so you’d expect third-up with any bit of luck early he’ll be the one to run down.’’
Dreamforce opened the $5.50 TAB equal favourite with stablemate Special Missile in the Winter Stakes.
Avdulla, currently 12 wins ahead of Blake Shinn with five meetings remaining in the season as he eyes his first Sydney Jockeys Premiership, has eight rides on the Rosehill card and all are under $10.
Among them is lightly raced Godolphin filly Deft, a dominant last start Canterbury winner, in the #Theraces Handicap (1800m).
The three-year-old, a $6 chance with TAB, looked impressive as she reeled in Foreign Territory, who will set the speed again on Saturday, and subsequent winner Shadal finished third but Avdulla warned she does have obstacles.
“She’s a progressive filly who handled herself well the other day,’’ he said.
“I think the 1800m will suit her but her biggest negative is she goes from a soft draw to a middle alley and she is in her first prep.
“It’s a completely different race coming out of midweek grade, whereas you have horses like Asterius coming out of genuine Saturday races.’’
Check out the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Winter Stakes meeting at Rosehill Gardens