Divine Dot in Geelong hot spot

MELBOURNE - Fast money does not always make good decisions and Divine Dot could be one to vindicate patience.

With yearling-sale season on the doorstep, like many other trainers, John McArdle will soon embark on viewing thousands of young horses with an eye to trying to find a bargain.

Sometimes, however, it is closer to home where the results come along and the Mornington-based trainer’s sense for a good performer can be vindicated by keeping on with a mare who may have delivered her first “proper” performer with the homebred Divine Dot.

This two-year-old filly won at Mornington over 1,200 metres by three lengths on her debut on Dec 23, and will step out for the second time in the A$150,000 (S$129,000) Geelong Diamond (1,100m) on Jan 3.

Divine Dot’s dam Miracle To Me won two races in Melbourne and she is the second winner among her small sample of progeny.

“She pulled up well,” he said of her debut performance.

“They didn’t run a huge time and, obviously, at this stage we don’t know what the quality was like, but she did a lot wrong and still won very easily.

“She ate up that night and with a few days on the water walker she’ll be there at Geelong after I confirm it with the owner – my wife.”

Though stepping back in distance at Geelong, McArdle is happy enough that the Overshare filly showed she can get that bit further.

“She’s a homebred and the best type that the mare has had so far,” said McArdle.

“But she does a fair bit wrong and we’ve had a couple out of the mare who didn’t run 1,200m, which we were a bit concerned about, but she seemed strong enough the other day.

“She’s still new but has very good tactical speed. They went slowly at Mornington and then she kicked.

“As (jockey) Jett (Stanley) said, she put them to the sword and won by as far as she wanted.

“It will be interesting to see with a bit more pressure in the race what she does.”

Jamie Mott will ride Divine Dot 1kg overweight at 55.5kg in the Geelong Diamond with the pair to jump from the outside alley in the field of nine, where fellow debut winners Torture, Moana Spirit and Golden Pulse for former four-time Singapore champion trainer Mark Walker are among her rivals.

Raced by the all-conquering Yulong outfit, Golden Pulse is a half-brother to New Zealand champion juvenile La Dorada, both being out of Savabeel mare Gold Fever.

The Tivaci colt was unfancied in a small four-horse affair in a 2YO Maiden over 1,147m at Geelong on Dec 4, but sailed home an impressive two-length winner for Beau Mertens. Michael Dee takes over the reins on Jan 3.

Golden Pulse had not been the most tractable of colts at home, momentarily making him a gelding candidate. In hindsight, Walker was glad he resisted the temptation of going for the knife following the maiden win.

“He’s tested us at times with his coltish tendencies, but after today’s performance he’s bought himself some time to remain as a colt,” said Walker to the Te Akau website.

“He’s been well educated at the stable, was nice and tractable for the jockey and Beau (Mertens) gave him a perfect ride.”
RACING AND SPORTS

Additional reporting by Michael Lee