Racing
Smallest stable out for biggest prize in Winter Final
One trainer with one horse shooting for one Final race.
Kevin Daffy said that winning his first metropolitan race, and with it being at Flemington, was an indescribable moment with the only horse he trains, the aptly named Oh Too Good.
The small-time conditioner and his five-year-old mare have the opportunity to emulate that experience in the feature event on Flemington Finals Day on Saturday.
Oh Too Good won the VOBIS Gold Mile (1600m) on June 7 and lining up in the Listed VRC Winter Championship Final (1600m) on Saturday was not on the radar until his galloper showed no signs of needing a break after the softish three-length victory.
"She's terrific and I am really happy with her and how she came through and thrived since that run," Daffy told Radio RSN.
"I was planning to give her a little break after the last race but she came through it so well so I thought we might as well journey on and have a crack at the Winter Championship."
Oh Too Good stands as the $2.90 favourite for the wintertime Melbourne highlight in a situation against the likes of consistent performer and Patrick & Michelle Payne-trained Jimmy The Bear who occupies the second line of betting along with the Ben, Will and JD Hayes-trained Cafe Millennium at $6.
From a stable perspective, the David and Goliath analogy may just the case should Daffy and his mare cross the line for another celebration.
"In the race the other day, she probably wasn't that well off under the set weights and penalties (carrying 57-kilos)," Daffy added as his mare will be three-kilos better off this time.
"Even with her rating going up, they put her up nine points after the other day, and she still comes in on the minimum.
"Ben Allen is getting down to (below) his minimum of 55-kilos to ride her again so that is a big effort from him.
"She'll be carrying the lightest weight in her career so she'll be happy with that."
Daffy had hoped that a disappointing run of barrier draws would improve but, for all the positivity, the five-year-old will have to start from barrier 13.
"I couldn't be happier with her and how she is," Daffy said.
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