I’m Wesley primed for ambush at Flemington

TASMANIAN sprinter I’m Wesley will take on a top-class field in the Group 2 Bobby Lewis handicap at Flemington today, but his trainer Glenn Stevenson is adamant the gelding can figure in the top three.

I’m Wesley comes off a firstup seventh of 11 in the Carlyon Stakes at Moonee Valley three weeks ago in which he finished only three lengths from the winner Faatinah.

He carried 57kg in the Carlyon but today he will lug only 53kg and will start from barrier six, which is ideal for the run up the straight over 1200m.

“I couldn’t be happier going into this race which has always been his main mission,” Stevenson said. “We brought him home straight after the Moonee Valley race and he has come on in leaps and bounds since that run.

“He is in great order and I don’t think his fast work leading up to a race has been better at any stage of his career.

“At his first start this time in he was caught in the wrong part of the seemingly leaderbiased track at Moonee Valley, but he still finished only three lengths from the winner.

“Hey Doc was favourite that day and he finished a halflength ahead of Wes.”

Hey Doc has a great second-up record and is proven at Group level, but Stevenson says I’m Wesley will make his presence felt at the bookies’ expense.

“These corporate bookies show very little respect for Tasmanian horses … and hopefully Wes can make them pay on Saturday,” he said.

While I’m Wesley will be trying to notch his first interstate win, premier Tasmanian trainer Scott Brunton is quietly confident his lightly raced three-year-old Lady Pluck can deliver the goods at her first start away from Tasmania.

Lady Pluck lines up in the Cap D’Antibes Stakes for three-year-old fillies in which she has drawn the outside gate (16) at what will be only her third race start.

The filly debuted with a luckless second in the $150,000 2YO Gold Sovereign Stakes in February and resumed with an effortless win in a maiden in Hobart eight weeks ago.

“I couldn’t be happier with her condition,” Brunton said.

Ladbrokes opened Lady Pluck at $81 but Brunton says the price assessors got it wrong.

He sent his three-year-old Mandela Effect to Melbourne on a hit-and-run mission at Caulfield in July and emerged triumphant at odds of $21, coming from last on the turn to score a runaway victory against solid opposition.

“I know this filly [Lady Pluck] is at big odds, but don’t be surprised if she replicates what Mandela Effect did,” Brunton said.