Track specialist Barista Chick will put her remarkable undefeated record at Traralgon on the line in Friday night’s Group 2 Bridges On Argyle Traralgon Cup heats (450m).
Trained by veteran breeder Daryl Holmes at Blind Bight, Barista Chick has won all of her eight starts at Traralgon.
The homebred November ’19 daughter of Mepunga Blazer and Gold Vein is two from two over each of the venue’s four distances – 350m, 395m, 450m and 500m.
After winning her past three starts at Traralgon over 500m (twice) and 450m, Barista Chick will be chasing a fourth straight victory in the last of seven Cup heats – race 9 at 9.46pm.
Barista Chick has drawn box seven – from where she also boasts a perfect four from four record at Traralgon – but faces a daunting opponent in Anthony Azzopardi’s newly-crowned track record holder Salad Dodger (box one).
Barista Chick’s best time over the Cup course is 24.84sec, with Salad Dodger setting a new benchmark of 24.48sec last Wednesday.
“I had a quick look at the heat fields and saw Salad Dodger drew ‘the red’ – that was enough!” Daryl Holmes quipped.
“She’s going good and she’s a good chaser, but quite frankly she’s not top grade.
“It’s hard to see her beating ‘the red’ and ‘the checks’ (Aston Lira) goes pretty well too. He was a reserve for the Warragul Cup Final.
“She’s won quite a few races out of ‘the seven’, but I’d prefer her to be drawn closer to the fence against good dogs like these. It’ll be very tough getting across those two inside dogs.”
WATCH: BARISTA CHICK (B7) improved her perfect Traralgon record over all four distances to eight from eight when leading all-the-way over 500m on January 4, clocking a BON 27.60sec.
Barista Chick is $9.50 with Sportsbet, with Salad Dodger $2.15 favourite, Aston Lira $4.20 and another last start record breaker in NSW visitor Return Mac (box 4), which set a new Dubbo 400m benchmark at his most recent appearance, $6.
But experience at the unique Traralgon circuit is on Barista Chick’s side as she’s tested in Group company for the first time in her 16 from 31 career.
Holmes believes the world-first ‘J-curve’ design, launched last January, has been crucial in aiding Barista Chick’s remarkable return after spending four months on the sidelines due to a stopper tendon injury.
Since resuming in September, eight of Barista Chick’s 11 starts have come at Traralgon – all wins.
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“Back in April, she had an operation to have a stopper tendon stitched and Des Fegan (veterinary surgeon) did a fantastic job,” Holmes explained.
“I brought her back at Traralgon, because I thought the one long straight and the one big bend would be a good recuperative approach.
“She won her first five starts at Traralgon after coming back and then I took her to The Meadows, but she pulled up sore and needed another month off.
“Her last couple of runs, her last win in particular, have probably been her best wins there.
“I think Traralgon is a really good track, but I think local experience is a big plus, because it’s such a different track. It could be pretty difficult for dogs that haven’t trialled there.”
Barista Chick is a litter sister to Holmes’ Melbourne Cup and Phoenix finalist El Dorado, which will be looking to return to the winner’s list at The Meadows on Saturday night in the FFA – race 8 at 9.09pm.
“I think he’s lacking a bit of confidence,” Holmes said.
“He trialled fantastic at Warragul before the Cup heats, but then all he wanted to do off the eight box was knock them down. Then he began ordinary at Sandown last week before running on okay. He’s just not going in that first 50 metres like he was.”
