Military Forces (4m – Tickets x Military Band) has dominated her maiden rivals to take out the SABOIS Maiden Plate over 900m at Friday’s Murray Bridge Cup meeting.
With Team Minervini having only acquired the Tickets mare in mid-June, the then filly debuted for the stable at Gawler, over 1200m, where she flew along in the lead, before tiring into fourth place, two lengths from the winner.
Back in trip at Balaklava a fortnight later she travelled easily outside the leader, looked the winner at the 200m, before being out-gunned late by a smart Phillip Stokes gelding in Triage.
Sensing that Military Forces might be best set around the 1000m trip, and as fresh as possible, Team Minervini sent her for a two-month break, and marked down today’s 900m maiden as a target.
With the mare having sharpened right up from her break, and an absolute picture in the yard, the punters on-course took note, and sent her out as second favourite.
Beginning well from out wide, the in-form Todd Pannell kept Military Forces balanced up in the early stages. Despite being deep, she really only had the one corner to navigate over the short course, so he let her slide up to the leaders straightening and in a matter of strides the mare put the race beyond doubt and she raced well clear.
Kept going under hands-and-heels riding and a few slaps with the whip in his left hand, Military Forces went down to the line an easy winner.
Congratulations to the ownership group Andrew Lovett, Andrew Baily, Adam Basir, David Bickmore, Paul Bock, Bright Racing (Mgr: Chris Bosley), Steven Bosley, Nathan Bull, Brett Cefai, Shae Dinunzio, Michael Farquhar, Kevin Fisher, Mark Gosling, Cail Harris, Nick House, Caleb Howell, Benjamin Leal, Jill Rose, Paul Rosenich, Elaine Woodroff.
The last 400m from today’s win can be viewed at https://twitter.com/Racing/status/921204060857950208
Todd’s interview can be viewed at https://www.racing.com/videos/2017-10-20/murray-bridge-race-2–todd-pannell–201017
Daniel Borg
Minervini Media