Durrant to Close Belmont with a Bang

Posted on October 5, 2018October 5, 2018 | Posted by Julio Santarelli

Top trainer Adam Durrant will look to close out the Belmont season with a bang on Saturday.

Durrant is set to provide at least 11 runners on the programme, led by unbeaten mare, Enticing Star.

She is Durrant’s headline act and makes her much-anticipated return in the Listed Birthday Stakes (1200m).

But the supporting cast is also strong with Pagan Image, Electric Light, Arcadia Prince, Bold Success, Showcase, Battle Torque and first timers Tinsnip and Showzali well considered by punters.

Hoping to launch a winning start early in race one, Durrant said he was excited to be showcasing his juveniles in the first two-year-old race of the season: the Initial Plate (1000m).

“I usually don’t go out of my way to get excited by two-year-olds, but I have one in Tinsnips,” Durrant told TABradio.

“If you watch his trial he drew wide and I said to Peter (Knuckey) to go back and see what he had at the finish.

“They ran good time and if you watch him late he is probably the horse you want to be on if they roll along and make up ground.

“The other filly (Showzali) is going to go on and win Saturday races.

“I do like both my two-year-olds and they will have promising futures.”

Electric Light has been a pleasant surprise packet and shoots for her fifth straight win in the Western Racepix Belmont Horse of the Year Handicap (1200m).

Durrant believes the Vital Equine mare will be tested by Masquerade, who resumes after winning back-to-back races at Ascot in May.

“She is in great form, but I think the weight pull with Masquerade will be the problem,” Durrant said.

“With equal weights I give her a good chance of winning, but she has to give away 3kg to a pretty smart horse.”

Pagan Image enters the David Grays Aglink Plate (1400m) in winning form after digging deep over the mile last-start.

Durrant said his only concern was Pagan Image dropping back in distance.

“He is going well, but has to handle the drop back to 1400m,” Durrant said.

“We are going to find out if he is a staying type and it might be a bit short.

“But I think he will run one-two.”

Enticing Star is $1.20 to maintain her unbeaten record in the Birthday Stakes.

The $100,000 sprint has attracted a field of five starters including last year’s Railway Stakes champion, Great Hero and returning Group winner, Disposition.

Durrant said Enticing Star will have to fight for her victory.

“It’s exciting and I’m looking forward to it, but we are going to be giving some very, very good horses a head start,” Durrant said.

“She has got her work cut out and it will be a good race.”

On TABtouch Tinsnip is ($6), Showzali ($7), Pagan Image ($2.90), Electric Light ($1.85), Arcadia Prince ($1.65), Bold Success ($2.80), Showcase ($3.50) and Battle Torque ($6)

“It should be a good day all round and I would be disappointed if most of the horses that I take to the races don’t finish in the money,” Durrant said.