MORNINGTON-based trainer Matt Laurie has Stakes ambitions with his smart filly Rainbow Girl after she kicked clear for a comfortable four-length win at Bairnsdale on Sunday 7 October.
The daughter of Pierro had to overcome the second-widest barrier (9) to take up the lead, but once she crossed there was nothing able take ground off her in the straight.
Trainer Matt Laurie was more than happy with the performance.
“I thought it was very good,” he said.
“She had to jump from the wide barrier and cross them but she still managed to kick clear very strongly – she did it tough at both ends.”
Following Rainbow Girl’s victory in benchmark 64 class, Laurie pointed out the Listed $120,000 Harrolds Crockett Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday 27 October as her next target.
“After her win at Cranbourne her rating just stayed at 62 so we had to place her as best we could to try and get her rating up and she won accordingly,” he said.
“She’s now rated at 67 and she’s only had the four starts so that should be enough.
“It looks a suitable race on paper and the Moonee Valley circuit should suit her well.”
Despite showing exceptional early speed, Laurie believes his filly could also take a sit if need be in the three-year-old fillies contest.
“I think she would come back underneath you if we wanted but we made sure she was up there last start to take away any bad luck and with just the way the track was playing you needed to be up there,” he said.
Jockey Michael Dee also shared positive comments following Rainbow Girl’s Bairnsdale win.
“[The most impressive part was how she was] doing the work at both ends when we were being so aggressive out of the gates and then just the way she put them away at the finish as well,” he said.
“She was definitely a class above.”
First published in the Mornington News – 16 October 2018
