Neil Godbolt would like a stable full of horses like tough as nails filly Never Doubt Me.
And the Port Macquarie-based trainer wishes he hadn’t relented when it came to the ownership of the nine-time winner who has earned more than $177,000.
Godbolt paid $8000 for the daughter of Not A Single Doubt.
“I actually bought her for myself but the family claimed her and kicked me out,” Godbolt said.
Never Doubt Me, who lines up at Coffs Harbour on Friday, is raced by Godbolt’s wife Maxine, their son John and daughter Alyson Thompson.
The three-year-old tackles the Hydro Digger Coffs Harbour Open Handicap (1315m).
Apprentice Cassandra Schmidt claims 3kg, reducing the filly’s weight to 57kg.
If Never Doubt Me comes through Friday’s race well, Godbolt said he would nominate her for the Listed Scone Cup (1600m) seven days later.
“I’ve got it in my head she’ll run 1600 metres,” Godbolt said.
“I’ll probably nominate her for the Scone Cup but long-range, the plan is the Grafton Guineas in July where she will get in with no weight on her back if I can keep her up for that long.”
The filly has won from 1000 to 1450m and is particularly adept on wet surfaces, conditions she will strike on Friday.
“Yeah, she’s a bombproof filly,” Godbolt said.
“I wish I had a half dozen like her.
“She is consistent and as tough as nails, a filly I don’t do a lot with on the track.”
Godbolt said while Never Doubt Me had probably earned Friday’s weight it was no easy task for a three-year-old filly giving away weight to more seasoned rivals.
“A horse like Save A Buck will be very hard to beat if he runs up to his Tamworth effort,” Godbolt said.
“My filly has done really well since winning at Grafton last start.
“She may not be an apprentice’s horse, we’ll find that out tomorrow, but the barrier (seven) will suit her.
“She prefers open spaces rather than being cluttered up.”
