Short odds not a problem
Trainer gives punters the green light for The Orange Agent after a workout on Sunday
If you think the TAB’s odds-on quote for The Orange Agent to win one of the glamour races of Jewels Day is a bit short, think again. Because an almost perfect dress rehearsal at Addington less than three weeks ago suggests the flying 3-year-old filly could, and probably should, start close to $1.50 on Saturday.
The Orange Agent has been one of two standout pacing fillies in New Zealand this season, the other being key race rival Fight For Glory.
Both have been star performers this year and between them have won three Oaks and the Nevele R Fillies Final.
It is the latter, at Addington just 18 days ago, which points to the most likely outcome of their clash this week.
The Orange Agent drew barrier two in that 1950m feature and led, with Fight For Glory sitting outside her for much of the race and fighting bravely into second but never looking a threat to the winner as she rated 1:54, her last 800m in 55.1 seconds.
The Orange Agent has come up with the same draw in a remarkably similar field at the Jewels and even though Fight For Glory has drawn right on her back, the best she can hope for is to be handy in the running line or parked.
Which suggests if the same The Orange Agent who turned up at Addington in the Nevele R shows up on Saturday, she should win the Jewels about as easily as she won that day.
Cue her understated trainer Brian Hughes.
“The way she feels and worked on Sunday I can’t see any reason she won’t be as good as she was in the Nevele R,” he said. “She has handled the whole campaign down here really well and I have no complaints.
“It is very cold, with a bit of snow on the hills, but that has not affected her at all.
“So I can’t see a reason she won’t race up to her best.”
The Orange Agent’s only three defeats this season have been when she has got back and tried to come wide in her races, one of them when she was fresh-up and not ready to win.
The other two were in the Sires’ Stakes Final, where she was pushed around mid-race and then last start in the NZ Oaks, when she finished fourth in a race she wasn’t going to win a long way from home.
The Orange Agent went back to last from barrier nine that night, while arch rival Fight For Glory worked around to lead and win and The Orange Agent battled into fourth, the only one of the first five home who didn’t spend most of the race saving ground on the markers.
Back on the markers on Saturday and in front, which looks likely, it is going to take something special to beat her.
With some hot favourites like Dream About Me early on the Jewels programme and The Orange Agent certain to be heavily supported in multi bets, it wouldn’t surprise to see her start $1.50 on the book and tote again.
Then Hughes and the filly’s connections could face choosing whether to continue her classic season through to the Breeders Crown in Victoria, with even a tilt at the Queensland Winter Carnival.
“We won’t start really thinking about that until next week but they are both options, particularly the Breeders Crown because there isn’t much for them as 4-year-old mares.”