Of The Day goes back-to-back at Doomben
OF The Day backed up its quality win at Doomben two weeks ago with an even more impressive outing on Saturday.
The Tony Gollan-trained four-year-old had attracted good betting support at $3.10 with CrownBet.com.au and punters were cheering as it quickly loomed up to Final Zero in the straight before racing away with the prize.
“Tony and I have always had an opinion of this filly and I think today she showed that,” winning jockey Robbie Fradd said.
“The bigger track and riding more patiently [helped], although there was more tempo in the race which suited us.”
Fradd believes the addition of earmuffs prior to the start has helped switch on the daughter of I Am Invincible ex. Orange Marmalade.
“Since Tony put on the earmuffs she’s been a different filly in the gates and I can’t thank him enough for that,” Fradd said.
“Early on I was a bit off the bridle, but the tempo was strong and she likes to be ridden patiently.
“It suited us perfectly today.”
Tony Gollan was confident coming into the race, given that it won last time out when the race tempo didn’t suit the four-year-old.
“I thought her win the other day was really good,” Gollan said, “She defied a strong on-pace bias.
“This track was always going to present down the middle today and even though she was a little slow out, she got a nice run with cover and when he let her go she sprinted quickly.”
The turn-of-foot shown by Of The Day was enough to suggest it could win in higher grades and Gollan said it could reach stakes level throughout the summer months.
“She’s a nice filly and this is the right time of the year for her to keep going through the ranks,” he said.
“I don’t have any grand aspirations with her, but the way she’s going, the way she keeps giving, she might develop into a summer fillies and mares-grade stakes horse here in Queensland.”
Doomben Race 1 result
1st: Of The Day – $3.10
2nd: Final Zero – $1.50
3rd: Magnus Cor – $4.90
Quinella – $4.70
Trifecta – $94
First Four – $405.80