Ciaron Maher to adopt positive tactics with Bella Nipotina in The Quokka
Champion trainer Ciaron Maher doesn't want Bella Nipotina dragged back from a wide gate as the mare looks to convert her strong recent Group 1 form into a $5m The Quokka triumph.
Providing she jumps clean - which Maher admits can occasionally be an issue - he doesn't expect Bella Nipotina to be a mile off them like she was in the inaugural The Quokka last year when surging home from near last to run third behind Overpass.
The Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes at Randwick earlier this month, where Bella Nipotina jumped cleanly and was ridden on-pace before finishing runner-up behind Chain Of Lightning, looks a golden form reference for The Quokka.
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The negatives for Bella Nipotina are barrier 13 and a firm Perth deck, seeing as her best performances have generally come on rain-affected ground.
One thing for sure, according to Maher, is Bella Nipotina will be ridden positively as long as she jumps cleanly.
Bjorn Baker's pair of Malkovich and last year's The Quokka champion Overpass look the likely leaders but Maher doesn't want Bella Nipotina conceding too much ground to them.
"Last year she bungled the start over there in The Quokka and she still ran really well," Maher said.
"If she gets a flyer from the gates like she did in her last run (in the TJ Smith), that will be the difference.
"If she gets out of the gates, we certainly won't be dragging her back.
"I don't think we want to be getting too far back.
"If she jumps out and takes a position that would be great."
MORE: The Quokka Full Coverage
That's Plan A.
If Bella Nipotina happens to be tardy away, jockey Craig Williams will have to revert to Plan B.
It won't be the end of the world as Maher believes the mare is adept at charging home from back.
"Like last year in this race, she can miss it, and then you have to hope they overcook it up front," Maher said.
"If she is not the best away, you sort of have to ride a race on her which she can be effective at as well.
"She has won getting back, in the Darley (Champions Sprint) she was near last when Imperatriz won and her sectionals were huge."
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Maher knows Bella Nipotina grows a leg on rain-affected surfaces but points out she has competed strongly in Group 1 company on good tracks.
Before the TJ Smith, Bella Nipotina's previous seven runs were on good surfaces including when she won the $3m Giga Kick Stakes in the spring and beat Think About It and Private Eye.
Bella Nipotina is now a $7 chance to win The Quokka on TAB fixed odds, after opening at $4.40.
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Ascot Race 8
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The Kia Quokka (1200m)
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| 6.5 | 6 | 6 | 5.5 | 6 | 6.8 | 7 | 6 | 5.1 | 6.5 | 5 | 6 | |||
| 5 | 5 | 5 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.7 | 5.9 | 5 | 5.5 | 5 | 4.8 | 5.5 | |||
| 34 | 34 | 41 | 31 | 31 | 50 | 55 | 31 | 32 | 34 | 34 | 31 | |||
| 81 | 61 | 81 | 71 | 61 | 95 | 120 | 71 | 71 | 61 | 67 | 61 | |||
| 41 | 41 | 61 | 41 | 35 | 70 | 75 | 41 | 43 | 41 | 51 | 35 | |||
| 101 | 81 | 151 | 101 | 91 | 170 | 220 | 91 | 101 | 81 | 101 | 91 | |||
| 8.5 | 8 | 8 | 8.5 | 8 | 8.8 | 9.2 | 8.5 | 9.2 | 9.5 | 8.5 | 8 | |||
| 2.8 | 2.9 | 3 | 3 | 3.1 | 3.3 | 3.35 | 3 | 3.2 | 3 | 3 | 3.1 | |||
| 23 | 23 | 26 | 21 | 21 | 30 | 32 | 26 | 21.5 | 19 | 23 | 21 | |||
| 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.2 | 6 | 5.7 | 7 | 6.5 | 6.5 | |||
| 71 | 61 | 101 | 71 | 61 | 110 | 130 | 91 | 69 | 61 | 67 | 61 | |||
| 71 | 61 | 81 | 67 | 61 | 95 | 110 | 61 | 55 | 61 | 67 | 61 | |||
| 23 | 23 | 29 | 20 | 23 | 32 | 34 | 26 | 21 | 21 | 23 | 23 | |||
| 101 | 91 | 151 | 101 | 101 | 200 | 260 | 101 | 111 | 101 | 101 | 101 | |||
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Market percentage
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118 | 120 | 114 | 120 | 117 | 102 | 98 | 118 | 119 | 116 | 121 | 117 | ||
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Quick Bet
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Form Guide
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