Dennis Drier has a good chance in the Gr 2 Tibouchina over 1400m at Greyville on Saturday with Jet Aglow, while the connections of the Paul Lafferty-trained Goldie Coast will be hoping for some rain before that same event.

Jet Aglow finished a 2,25 length second to her perennial rival Hammie’s Hooker in last year’s Tibouchina over 1450m at Clairwood, but is particularly interesting this year as the first time blinkers made her noticeably sharper last time out when running a cracker in the Gr 1 City Of Pietermaritzburg Fillies Sprint over 1200m at Scottsville.

Drier said, “She took us a bit by surprise with the first time blinkers but we expect her to settle better this time.” He added that she had come out of that last race a hundred percent and was currently in fine shape.

The 1200m is too sharp for her, so it was a surprise to see her showing such good pace in the City Of Pietermaritzburg Fillies Sprint and setting the gallop. She was outpaced late but still managed a fine 2,65 length fifth to one of the best sprinters in the country, Carry On Alice, to add to her third place finish in that same race last year.

The five-year-old Jet Master mare will now be having her third run after a rest, but does have a tricky draw of nine in the twelve horse field. Regular pilot Sean Cormack is aboard.

Goldie Coast is the joint lowest rated horse in this race, but is ideally suited to the Greyville 1400m as she has an exceptional turn of foot provided she finds cover.

Lafferty’s assistant trainer Roy Waugh said, “It’s a very tough race, but she’s been running reasonably well. She doesn’t have the best of draws, but she does come from off them. She is definitely better with a bit of cut in the ground.”

By David Thiselton

Picture: Jet Aglow (Liesl King)