Trainer Mitchell Pateman is hopeful a return to Ascot and improved fitness will give Feels Playful a big chance of taking out the Listed Challenge Stakes (1500m) on Saturday.
Feels Playful ran a tenacious second in last fortnight’s Listed WA Breeders’ Classic (1400m) at Pinjarra, four weeks after recording her second straight win at Ascot.
Feels Playful led for the majority of the Breeders’ Classic and it took a good horse to beat her with All The King’s Men rallying to get up in the shadows of the post.
“She was a month between runs into the Breeders’ (Classic) and has probably improved a bit out of that run,” Pateman said on Tabradio.
“I thought she had done enough, she looked beat two or three times and then found enough to beat them, but All The King’s Men grabbed her late.
“But she is pretty tough and it didn’t surprise me that she hung in for as long as what she did.
“She just eats everything, does her work, she’s as bright as a button.
“She handles her racing really well, she’s a big strong filly and nothing seems to worry her.
“I think she’s going better now than when she was going into the Breeders’ and she should run well.”
Punters are leaning to All The King’s Men to hold sway again in the Challenge Stakes.
The Trevor Andrews-trained gelding is the $2.60 market leader with Tabtouch.
Feels Playful is $4.40
Splitting the pair is Champion Fillies Stakes winner Admiration Express at $3.40.
Saintorio is $5.50
Feels Playful, who debuted last June, has two wins and two seconds from her five career starts, both victories at Ascot.
The Playing God filly has drawn barrier eight in the Challenge Stakes. Holly Watson keeps the mount.
“She races well at Ascot and you’d think she’ll find the front tomorrow,” Pateman said.
“She’s going to be pretty hard to run down.”
Pateman, early into his training career, is searching for his third stakes victory after his speedy mare This’ll Testya, won the G3 Colonel Reeves Stakes (1100m) and Cyril Flower Stakes (1200m) last year.
