Joyful on the improve

James Herbertson believes Joyful (Always B Miki) will be at her peak for next week’s Final after scoring a narrow win in the Breeders Crown (3YO Fillies) First Semi Final at Melton.

Herbertson made a race winning move when opted to take off mid race to sit parked outside the leader Ludicrous while the $2.50 favorite Sweet Bella was caught up in traffic between horses in the running line.

Joyful kept giving in the home straight and got the verdict by a head on the line from Ludicrous while Sweet Bella never saw daylight in the run to the post finishing sixth.

“She’s going to be better next week,” Herbertson said.

“She was a bit plain last week but was better tonight and there’s still more there so hopefully she’s better again next week,” he said.

Joyful hands Emma Stewart her second win of the night with James Herbertson in the sulky, winning the first semi-final of the A Rocknroll Dance Breeders Crown Series for three- year-old fillies. pic.twitter.com/PXwKV7dNhz

— The Trots (@TheTrotsComAu) November 18, 2023

Herbertson believes the daughter of Always B Miki is overdue for a change of luck in barrier draws.

“She’s been hammered with bad draws and if she ever draws the front and gets the race how she wants it to be run, she’s going to be pretty hard to get near,” he said.

Mark Pitt chalked up his fifth win in the sulky when he had an armchair ride behind Major Delight scored a soft win in the Second Semi Final.

Major Delight ($1.05 fav) sat outside Soho Seraphine however when Pitt asked her to go she quickly put the race beyond doubt.

Pitt said Major Delight seems better suited sitting parked.

“She seems to concentrate that little bit more when she is sitting outside them rather than in front, it sounds silly but she seems to like it more being outside them,” Pitt said.

“I’m not too fazed where she draws next week because she’ll show her class and I think she is the one to beat,” he said.

For complete race results, click here.

by John Dunne, for Harnesslink