Banglez ready to put the right hoof forward in Group 1

While a few punters might have been left disappointed when she galloped and blew her chances at Ballarat last start, there’s no hard feelings from trainer Emma Stewart towards star filly Banglez.

Stewart joined RSN’s Green Light On on Thursday to talk about the Group 1-winning squaregaiter, who goes in search of her second elite level success this Saturday night at Kilmore.

The 2020 Vicbred Super Series 2YO Trotting Fillies Final champion loomed to win her first-up assignment at Bray Raceway on August 6, but broke just as she surged up approaching the straight. Amazingly, she got back into stride and closed off brilliantly to finish fourth, beaten just over 10m.

“The turns at Ballarat are quite difficult to get around,” Stewart explained.

“I’m not sure why, I don’t know if it’s the camber or what, but a lot of horses kick the wheels in the carts there as well.

“I think if she had have been let balance up and just pulled out at the top of the straight, she would have been fine. So I can’t entirely blame her for that.

“She’s been terrific since. It’s definitely a step-up this week, but she’s fit and well, done everything really good at home and we are really pleased with her.”

Banglez lines up as one of the key fancies in the TAB Australasian Premier Trotting Sale (3YO Trotting Fillies) Final, which she qualifies for as a graduate of the 2019 auction. There, she was an unnamed filly by Majestic Son out of Gypsy Flair, who was bought for $14,000 from vendors Rhiannon Park by prominent owner-bookmaker Tom Hogan.

It took until start five to win her maiden in a heat of the Vicbred series, with her only other career success coming a little over a week later in the final when she led all the way to pocket the Group 1.

The bay filly has drawn gate two for regular driver Greg Sugars in Saturday night’s assignment, and Stewart oozed confidence about landing the lion’s share of the $50,000 prize.

“She’s super quick so if she can get a run where she can use her speed, she’s going to be awfully close,” Stewart said.

Banglez will take on familiar rivals such as KerryAnn Morris-trained raider Aldebaran Ursula – a winner of the NSW Trotters Oaks in May – and Evas Image (Chris Lang), who ran third to her in the Vicbred final on December 31. Lang’s stablemate Queen Invasion looks the other key winning hope after taking out the Maryborough Trotters Oaks at her most recent start.

In the boys’ three-year-old APTS final, Brent Lilley has a pair of chances with Vicbred Super Series 2YO Trotting Colts and Geldings Final third place-getter Aldebaran Zeus seemingly the best of those, while Chris Svanosio’s talented Whos The Man and Lang-trained Bullion Harry are rated as other major hopes.

Click here to view Saturday night’s Kilmore fields.

By Tim O’Connor for HRV