‘Going to be very hard’: Kent cautious about well-backed filly in $1 million VOBIS Platinum Showdown

Trainer Mick Kent is bullish about his filly in the $1 million Vobis Showdown — but the wide barrier has dented his confidence.

An uncontrollable factor has all but scuppered Cranbourne trainer Mick Kent’s long-range plan for Saturday’s $1m VOBIS Sires’ Showdown at Caulfield.

Kent will run Gellhorn in the rich two-year-old contest, which he said had been the filly’s goal since she came into work.

The two-year-old’s debut run went well when she ran on solidly over 1200m on debut at Sandown on April 10, prompting Kent to think Gellhorn could be competitive in The Showdown.

But the barrier draw computer had other ideas, giving Gellhorn barrier 17 on Wednesday morning, adding a tough gate to the task of rolling hot favourite Bold Bastille.

“We’ve set her for the race and we wanted to get one run into her and it’s been a plan for a long time,” Kent said.

“Then we drew marble 17. I’d love it to be at Sandown because it doesn’t really matter where you draw.

“Barriers are critical there at Caulfield and she’s drawn the outside barrier. It’s going to be very hard to win from there.”

Gellhorn has firmed from $34 to $14 in TAB’s market on The Showdown.

Kent said Gellhorn has shown potential throughout her preparation and worked well in the lead-up to The Showdown, leaving her capable of capitalising on any luck in running.

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Jockey Ethan Brown has the task of negotiating a tough barrier with Gellhorn in Saturday’s VOBIS Sires Showdown at Caulfield. Picture: AAP

“She’s a very solid filly and she’s trained really well for it and I’d be really bullish that she could run really well,” Kent said.

“She’s just going to have a lot of luck from there. She’s never taken a backward step and always trained well.”

Kent said Saturday’s contest would be Gellhorn’s last run before she heads to the spelling paddock to further mature ahead of a spring campaign.

Bold Bastille remains solid at $1.70 in early betting on The Showdown.

Gellhorn is one of the firmers along with the Toby Lake-trained Linkvue, who has firmed from $17 to $14 after his sound second to Bold Bastille in the VOBIS Gold Rush at Bendigo.

Ethan Brown will ride Gellhown in the VOBIS Sires’ Showdown.

Racing Victoria vets will inspect Bold Bastille and Linkvue on Friday as part of their inspections of all runners engaged in the rich race.

The Dean Krongold-trained Herastar displayed signs of lameness in her initial inspection on Thursday.

Herastar will be rechecked on Friday before vets decide whether she will be allowed to run at Caulfield.

Originally published as ‘Going to be very hard’: Kent cautious about well-backed filly in $1 million VOBIS Platinum Showdown