A convincing first-up win during the Swan Hill carnival has earned Dodging Bullets the chance to showcase his promise at metropolitan level
The Symon Wilde-trained Dodging Bullets makes his city debut in Saturday’s $80,000 Brian Beattie Handicap (1610m) at Flemington and the three-year-old is eligible for $50,000 worth of bonuses.
Dodging Bullets broke his maiden at Terang at his second start in March then resumed at Swan Hill this month and finished strongly to win a benchmark race against his own age.
“We’ve always liked him but I guess since he’s started racing he’s shown more than what he has on the (training) track,” Wilde said.
“He’s a nice lightly raced three-year-old on the up, I think.”
Wilde said the bonuses on offer was the attraction for the owners of Dodging Bullet to have a crack at Saturday’s race and the trainer believes it is the logical next step for the son of Dash For Cash.
He steps to 1610m after winning over 1300m first-up.
“He’s high enough in the ratings and is eligible for all the bonuses so we just thought before he turns four and goes into open age (races), it would be worth having one or two runs in three-year-old grade at the end of the season, Wilde said.
“He’s going the right way and we keep getting surprised by him. Actually this time it would be no surprise if he did perform very well.”
Dodging Bullets, to be ridden by Mark Zahra, has barrier seven in a capacity field.
