Melbourne mare Aloha is shading Melito for favouritism in Saturday’s Coolmore Classic but trainer Gerald Ryan believes his charge can bounce back to winning form.
Melito has drawn barrier 11 of 17 while her stablemate Strawberry Field fared even worse in 15.
“She (Melito) worked as good on Tuesday as I’ve seen her this time in,” Ryan said.
“She’s fully recovered from her hard run in the Chipping Norton.
“The barrier isn’t the best but I’m used to her drawing bad barriers.
“And Strawberry Field hasn’t drawn a good barrier in all the time I’ve had her.
“The only time she’s been inside double figures was when she drew nine from nine.”
Melito won the Apollo Stakes first-up then finished fifth after working hard from the outside gate in the Chipping Norton Stakes won by Danleigh.
Plans for the four-year-old include the Champions Mile in Hong Kong next month if she lives up to Ryan’s expectations.
Trained as a sprinter last autumn, Melito claimed two Group One races and four placings at the highest level.
She is topweight for the Coolmore with 59.5kg, giving 6-1/2 kilos to Aloha.
The Mick Price-trained Aloha comes to the Group One Coolmore (1500m) at Rosehill seeking her fifth consecutive win and will be partnered by Glen Boss.
She was at $5 in TAB Sportsbet’s opening markets with Melito at $6 ahead of Palacio De Cristal ($6.50) and More Strawberries, who drew the outside gate, and Jersey Lily at $8.50.
Jersey Lily will be flying the flag for the Les Bridge stable on Saturday following an injury to Hot Danish which has ruled her out of a clash with More Joyous in the Canterbury Stakes, and the rest of the season.
Jersey Lily goes into her first Group One assignment and her first test beyond 1400 metres off a win in the Listed Wiggle Quality (1400m).
“I’ve never gone into a Group One race happier with a horse than I am with her,” Bridge said.
“She’s done a treat, it just comes down to whether she’s good enough.
“But I think it’s a pretty open race this year and she’s in with a chance.
“It might make up for the bad week I’ve had.”
AAP TURF
