Brad Widdup keeps looking at Short Shorts to try and find a reason not to run her in the Dark Jewel Classic at Scone tomorrow.
The Hawkesbury trainer might have his doubts about running the four-year-old mare on a seven-day back-up, but punters zeroed in on her when betting opened, backing her from $15 into $5 favourite for the group 3 feature over 1400m.
Brad Widdup is confident Short Shorts will run out the 1400m of Saturday’s Dark Jewel Classic on a firm Scone track.Credit: Getty
“When I saw the draw I was a bit worried, but there isn’t that many other races for her in Brisbane and she is really well,” Widdup said. “She has done everything right since last weekend, and she probably gets to a position outside the leader without too much trouble.”
The more Widdup talks, the more he leans to giving Short Shorts a shot at the group 3.
“She is just going so well at the moment and I think she will run a strong 1400m if the track is firm, so it is a good chance to test her at this level,” he continued.
Another positive for Widdup is that he has been able to book Jean Van Overmeire, who has returned from the United Arab Emirates. He will also link with the jockey earlier in the afternoon for Sneaky Paige in the Ortensia Stakes and Hasty Honey, which debuts in the Woodlands Stakes.
“It is great to have Jean back, and we have had a bit of success together, “Widdup said.
“He has been coming out and riding a bit of work, so it is good to reward him for that.”
Van Overmeire is a great judge of speed and could be crucial to a Short Shorts, which is likely to settle outside topweight Expat, which she is contesting favouritism with.
“She likes to roll but needs a firm track, which we look like getting,” Widdup said. “Jean is very good at getting the speed right, and I can see her being very strong at the end of the 1400m.”
Short Shorts won the Provincial-Midway Championships heat at Kembla before the wet track worked against her in the Randwick final, where she held on to run fifth.
She showed her customary speed to lead at Gosford last Saturday and was run down late by Flag Of Honour, which slip-streamed her to the turn before getting up on her inside.
“If she gets the right sort of track I have always felt she would be a stakes filly, and it would be nice if we can find another one or two to step up after Icebath,” Widdup said. “We have a number of horses in the stable that are ready to take the step, and Short Shorts is one of them.”
Widdup has picked up several horses from Hong Kong-bound Mark Newnham, and Sneaky Paige, which is already stakes placed, makes her debut for the stable tomorrow.
“She has only had the one trial and she is obviously a pretty nice filly,” Widdup said. “We will find out a bit more about her in the next couple of starts, but it’s the right time of year for her because she likes a bit of cut in the ground.”
Widdup has chosen to debut Hasty Honey at listed level in the Woodlands Stakes against well-preformed fillies Dipsy Doodle and Saltaire in a show of faith in what he has seen at home.
“We were happy to give her a chance against these better fillies,” Widdup said. “I think she is going to be a pretty good filly.”
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