Pantheist poised for Triple Crown title

Spring has well and truly sprung and that looks a proven tonic to get the best out of top mare The Pantheist, who will go in search of her second Group 1 success in this weekend’s Benstud Queen of the Pacific.

Trainer David Miles said it appeared the daughter of Bettors Delight flourished during the spring months, which is evidenced by her recent form and the fact she won the Breeders Crown Series 3YO Fillies Final during the same season last year.

The four-year-old currently leads the Elizabeth Clarke Mares Triple Crown after accumulating 13 points through the opening two races of the series. She ran second to Spellbound in the Make Mine Cullen at Ballarat on October 16 and then won last weekend’s Angelique Club Pace at Geelong to take top spot on the leaderboard.

The winner of the series, which culminates in Saturday night’s Queen of the Pacific, earns a $10,000 bonus for owners.

“She’s been great,” Miles said.

“She was obviously very good late last season. It’s interesting, we hear galloping trainers talk about whether horses are autumn horses or spring horses, and she was a little bit off in the autumn, but she’s come good in the spring again.

“She won the Breeders Crown last year and she’s really started to put her form together.”

The Pantheist has drawn barrier one for the assignment at Tabcorp Park Melton, which is set to welcome back Saturday night metropolitan racing for the first time since August 7.

It looks a fantastic draw for the horse’s chances in a race where Nathan Purdon-trained Amazing Dream will start a short-priced favourite from gate four following her last-start second in the Geelong Pacing Cup.

“She’s drawn to lead. Whether we can hold Amazing Dream or not, it will be a bit of a tough ask. But even if we are sitting on her back, she’s going to get a great trip,” Miles said of The Pantheist.

“Amazing Dream is down a lot in class and there’s probably a fair gap between the two horses. Personally, I probably think she’s better taking a sit this week, but (driver) Chris (Alford) is out there, he knows her well, he’s raced Amazing Dream quite a lot.

“She’s had some pretty strong racing, Amazing Dream. And tough racing. It will be interesting to see how she backs up after last week and of course she went around in the Vic Cup before that.

“We know she’s got blistering gate speed and we might not have a choice – she might just cross us anyway.”

Miles will take the reins of stablemate Enchanted Stride in Saturday night’s elite level contest, and despite her recent victory over The Pantheist in the Group 3 Tailamade Lombo at Ballarat on September 18, a recent dip in form has the Monegeetta horseman unconvinced about her chances.

“She had the vets look over her this week. Nothing major, just a couple of little things. We’re just going to pack her feet a little bit this week and change her work up, keep her off the track and just give her a bit more swimming to try and help her out,” Miles said.

“She just doesn’t seem quite 100 per cent comfortable. Not bad enough not to run because she is very, very healthy and eight weeks ago when she won the Tailamade Lombo, she was going as good as any mare in Victoria. But unfortunately, we are just not quite on our game at the moment.”

Just three horses remain in contention for the Elizabeth Clarke Mares Triple Crown title, with The Pantheist on 13 points, Purdon’s Spellbound on eight and Emma Stewart’s Maajida on seven. Competitors get eight points for a victory, five for second and three, two and one points for third, fourth and fifth respectively.

TRIPLE CROWN LEADERBOARD

The Pantheist 13, Spellbound 8, Maajida 7, Enchanted Stride 3, Itzamajor Surprise 3, Its Ebonynivory 2, Blame It On Me 1, Belladonna Girl 1

To view fields for Melton on Saturday night click here.

By Tim O’Connor for HRV