After going agonisingly close in the Moir Stakes, Adelaide mare Viddora will be back at Moonee Valley aiming to snare her first Group One win in the Manikato Stakes.
Viddora weaved through late in the Moir Stakes last month and charged to the line only to be denied by a short half-head by Golden Slipper winner She Will Reign.
Her trainer Lloyd Kennewell and jockey Joe Bowditch thought she had won.
“I did initially,” Kennewell said.
“Especially when the cameraman goes with the horse they generally think won and they followed her after the line.
“It can be a frustrating game, but we’ve just got to take it that it was a terrific run by a very good mare that’s in form.
“She’s been holding her form really well and let’s hope it continues on Friday night.”
Viddora has finished second in Group One races at her past two starts, the other being the Robert Sangster Stakes in May.
The five-year-old, winner of six of her 21 starts with another six seconds, was $31 in the Moir and is $18 for the Manikato in a field of 11 which includes star sprinters Vega Magic and Chautauqua.
It doesn’t faze Kennewell.
“She’s in really good order,” he said.
“She’s obviously had a couple of nice gallops with a month between runs and hopefully she’s the fresh horse on the scene.
“She’s drawn well. We’ve just got to hope we can utilise the barrier (4) and I would think she’s going to run the race of her life in what looks to be a great race.
“We’re not shirking the task. We think she’s up to it and I’m not really scared of any of them. We’ve just got to worry about what we can control, basically.”
Kennewell is also chasing his first Group One win.
Dual Group One winner Vega Magic is $2.25 favourite in Manikato Stakes odds after his last-start second in the $10 million Everest after a wide run.
“Vega Magic looks to probably get a lot better run on top of the speed,” Kennewell said.
“I’m thinking he’s the one to beat but I do think he’s very beatable. I don’t think he’s over the line by any means.”
