‘Can’t have her at that’: Clinton Taylor questions odds-on price about his filly Valorous Performer at Doomben on Saturday

Clinton Taylor produced one of the better two-year-olds of the Queensland season in town last week but isn’t as confident about a repeat on Saturday at Doomben.

Clinton Taylor, who has locked away a spot in the Magic Millions for Astapor, has Valorous Performer running at Doomben on Saturday. Picture: Grant Peters/Trackside Photography

Clinton Taylor pulled off a city heist with Astapor last week, but he has a warning for punters assuming his filly Valorous Performer will be doing the same thing at Doomben seven days on.

The two-year-old has been backed into an odds-on quote, however the Rockhampton trainer said she is not as talented as Astapor, who stamped his cards into the Magic Millions with a dominant win last week.

Valorous Performer boasts a win from her only start at Rockhampton, just like Astapor did, but Taylor said don’t use that to draw the two together.

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“I went down quietly confident last week, but it is a bit different this time around, I’m more hopeful,” he said.

“She is short in the market, I don’t know how they have done that, I can’t have her at that.

“She is a nice filly, she has done everything right and I think she will race well but I am coming down more hopeful than confident.

“Their wins were quite similar up here, but he (Astapor) has a lot more upside, I wouldn’t be comparing her to him.

“It’s not an overly strong race, but comparing her to the colt, he would tow her.”

Astapor produced one of the better two-year-old performances of the season at Doomben. Picture: Grant Peters/Trackside Photography

As a QTIS eligible filly, victory in Saturday’s QTIS 2YO Handicap (1200m) would net Valorous Performer’s connections $97,000 and Taylor said it has been a deliberate plan to attack the early juvenile races in town before the big names get up and running.

While Astapor is on a Magic Millions 2YO Classic path, likely via the Group 3 BJ McLachlan Stakes (1200m) on December 23, Taylor confirmed Valorous Performer is not eligible for the $3m feature in January.

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“I did the form and looked at it all, Mike Crooks (Mishani horse) deserves a huge pat on the back, we wouldn’t have two-year-old races without him,” Taylor said.

“Going through the form, I don’t think it’s that strong at the moment but it won’t take long until Tony (Gollan) or someone produces one.

“The money is terrific, the colt last week picked up $85,000 and this one is almost $100,000 if she can win on Saturday.

“She was passed in at the March sale then I paid $26,000 at the Capricorn sale up here for her.

“She isn’t paid up for Magics, she is eligible for the $100,000 race up here at Rocky.”

Valorous Performer is rated a $1.95 chance with TAB.