Spring Honour Murray Bridge Derby Bound
Heats of the Murray Bridge Oaks and the Murray Bridge Derby will take centre stage this Sunday night. Three competitive heats of each series have been drawn, with chasers aiming to qualify for the final next week. Local trainer Greg Board will be looking to follow on from his brilliant Group 3 Brian Johnstone success last week, when he rugs up two homebred chasers in the form of Spring Honour and Spring Cocktail. Their isn’t much better form than a last start Group 3 victory and that is what Spring Honour will be taking into his heat of the Derby, when he comes out of box five. His win last week in the Brian Jonstone was a reward for some brilliant consistency and a touch of improvement.
“He did what he does, he got out and crossed them and they weren't able to run him down. He’s getting a little bit stronger, he broke ‘13’ (run home time) in that run which he hadn’t done before.” said Board
Spring Honour will be looking to replicate his early speed that he showed in his Brian Johnstone victory. He has drawn a very competitive field with a couple of strong chasers such as San Lorenzo, Elegant Bix and Aston Chaffy in the race. It will be imperative that Spring Honour jumps well from box five and gets himself to the front and makes the running. Board thinks he will go well despite drawing another poor box
“He’s pulled up very good. He’s really well and should be nice and fresh.” said Board
“He’s drawn my usual box in five”
“I give him a reasonable chance, I don’t think he likes it there as much as he does at Angle Park on the 2-turns. I trialled him at Murray Bridge though and he went reasonable.”
Whilst Spring Honour will carry the main hope for Board, Spring Cocktail will go into her heat with some claims after a couple of handy runs recently. After starting her career brilliantly, winning her first five starts, she hasn’t been able to get back on the winners list since. That could change on Sunday with a good draw in box two and she has found arguably the easiest heat.
“She’s just been disappointing her.” said Board
“She won her first five but just can’t seem to get going again.”
“I trialled her the other day at Angle Park over the shorts and she went 19.46 and I put her in the race but she never reproduced it. I knew she couldn’t beat the winner but I thought she would have run second.”
“Her chances are their, she's a bit of a show if they don’t run too quick. From what I’ve seen trialling there she will be right there with them if she stays out of trouble.”
The first heat of the Oaks will be run at 5:49 pm local time on Sunday