Popthebubbles edges Walker toward 200 season winners
Popthebubbles edged her trainer Mark Walker closer to the magical 200 wins for the season mark when saluting at Tauranga on Saturday.
After jumping away fairly from the ace barrier, Popthebubbes settled toward the rare of the field for veteran hoop Vinnie Colgan, who began his move on the three-year-old filly at the 800m and she was able to storm home late out wide to capture a 1.8 length victory.
“It was another really good winning effort from a filly that should only get better with time and once we get up over more ground,” said Walker, who now sits on 197 wins for the season.
“Given the family she’s from, I think she can develop into a handy staying mare, especially on tracks with some give in them.
“She should be able to progress through the grades next season as a four-year-old and it will be very interesting once we step her up in trip as to just what level she could be capable of.”
Colgan was pleased with the victory and was impressed with how the filly closed out the race.
“I struggled a bit with her across the top, but once she straightened and got on her outside leg she was away and let down really well over the last 200m,” he said.
Popthebubbles carries the colours of Tony Rider’s Milan Park, who shares in the breeding and ownership of the filly with Rayner and Lynn Bonnington of Little River Thoroughbreds, as well Peter Jeffares.