Formlines point to Unequivocal midweek win

A comeback race for Unequivocal didn’t go to plan but trainer Noel Mayfield-Smith will be out to earn a reward for careful placement with the promising filly at Canterbury.

Forced off the racetrack when she injured a pastern after winning a metropolitan race in February, Unequivocal made a solid if unspectacular return at Flemington during the Melbourne Cup carnival.

And while Unequivocal was never a winning factor in the race, finishing 10th of 16 three-year-old fillies at Group Three level, Mayfield-Smith took enough out of the run to press on with what he hopes will be an abbreviated campaign.

“She was hopeless down the straight at Flemington but we knew we were in trouble when she drew the outside and everything decided to run down the middle of the track,” Mayfield-Smith said.

“She got detached from the rest of the field and was virtually racing on her own then.

“But she finished off quite nicely and I thought it wasn’t a bad run first-up. I was happy enough with her.”

On paper, the 2015 ATC Membership On Sale Handicap on Wednesday will be the easiest race Unequivocal has contested and she has an undeniable chance to confirm the merit of her only win from three trips to the races.

In beating Delectation, Unequivocal defeated the runner-up in the Group One Coolmore Stud Stakes.

But the worth of the form line was already evident well before the Flemington carnival when the third-placed Peggy Jean came out two starts after the Rosehill race to win the ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes.

“There is good form behind her, there is no doubt about that whatsoever,” Mayfield-Smith said. “If she runs well will only have two runs then have an ease up and we’ll go from there.”

In the absence of Winona Costin who is on a working holiday in the United States, Mayfield-Smith has secured the next best apprentice in Sydney with Taylor Marshall taking the mount in the race restricted to junior riders.

After Marshall’s allowance, Unequivocal will carry 0.5kg under the 54kg minimum.

“There are plenty of races for her but it’s a matter of getting her in at the right weight,” Mayfield-Smith said.

Article from justhorseracing.com.au

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