David Thompson is banking on the guile and skill of champion reinsman Gavin Lang to help Mandy Joan overcome an awkward barrier draw in the Breeders Crown final at Melton on Saturday.
Thompson admits Mandy Joan will have her work cut out to win after drawing barrier five, but takes comfort that he relies on Lang to drive her in the Group 1 feature race for two-year-old fillies.
“We didn’t draw that good, but she is very well,” Thompson told Tabradio.
“We will rely on a bit of luck to get across or get in somewhere.
“The barrier is what it is and we can’t do anything about that.”
Thompson said Mandy Joan had come through her semi-final run at Bendigo last week in good order, running a solid fifth from barrier seven behind Miss Streisand.
The Byford-based trainer believes Mandy Joan has thrived since travelling east.
“I’m sure she is no worse,” Thompson said.
“Her work is good and I’m really happy with her.
“She is eating up and everything.
“She is going really good and Gavin is happy with her work.”
Thompson believes Our Princess Tiffany poses the biggest threat to Mandy Joan.
From the powerful Mark Purdon stable, the Art Major filly is unbeaten from eight career starts.
“She has drawn barrier six and I don’t know if there is anything that wants to hold her out,” Thompson said.
“And I don’t know if Gavin (Lang) will want to come out underneath her.”
Thompson says Mandy Joan’s path to the Breeders final has been supported by two of his training contempories in Perth.
“We had a few dramas getting her going,” Thompson said.
“She went really good at Byford, but when we get to the races she would go rough.
“I couldn’t work it out but Ross Oliveri at the trials gave me something to try out.
“That helped no end and then I was talking to Glen Elliot.
“He said with his Art Major she didn’t go good until he took the head check off.
“Both of them have been a big help to me.”
Julio Santarelli