While trainer Grahame Begg excels in detailed strategizing, even top-tier arrangements can occasionally unravel.
Begg was confident in his choice of apprentice Logan Bates for Dirty Look aboard in the Saturday Up & Coming Stars Series Final at Caulfield.
Usually a $300,000 affair bars apprentice claims, but as a Class 3, this event welcomes them.
Bates earned a ban at Caulfield the previous Saturday, benching his 1.5kg allowance.
Jockey availability tightened with the Sydney Autumn Carnival peaking and Adelaide Carnival ramping up.
In a stroke of luck, Begg locked in Harry Coffey to ride Dirty Look Saturday, recalling their prior victory on Nonconformist in the Group 2 Blamey Stakes at Flemington back in 2023.
“I thought I had been very clever,” Begg said.
“I had Logan Bates booked to ride her, and it was a claiming race.
“People probably didn’t take much notice of that, and she would have got in with 53-½ (kilos) on her back, but he got suspended last Saturday, so that put an end to it.”
The filly approaches Saturday’s race in her fourth appearance, up against battle-hardened foes.
Her maiden win came at Sandown on March 11, followed by second place at Sandown on March 25.
“We’re very happy with how she has progressed,” Begg said.
“It’s the fourth start of her preparation and after she runs on Saturday, she’ll be going for a break.
“She’s done everything we have asked her to do. She ran very well at her last start on the Sandown Lakeside course, where she drew out and got back, but she hit the line very well in what was a very much leader dominated race.
“She’s been learning her craft, and she looks quite handy and we’re certainly looking forward to Saturday.”
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