Fuld’s Bet was expected to win Super Heroes and Villains Day Handicap (1200m) and did so although it was far from convincing.
Going into the race Fuld’s Bet had been placed third at her two previous starts including being unlucky behind Castle Retreat on November 29. On that occasion she begun, and slowly, then raced wide throughout.
Ridden by Joseph Azzopardi yesterday the capable apprentice had Fuld’s Bet setting the pace and the big filly seemed to have the race in her keeping at the 200m mark.
However, in the concluding stages she started to ‘paddle’ and Ripper Red (William Pike) made up about four lengths to get within a neck of the favourite on the post.
Hold Your Tongue (Jason Whiting) was well beaten into third place.
Trainer Simon Miller said Fuld’s Bet’s campaign this time in “had been a bit of a train wreck.”
“She is big and weighs some 570kg and I just have not been able to give her the work she needed. She has ‘tied up” in her work (cramp). Because of this I was unable to give her a couple of trials she needed before racing.”
Miller said he was always playing catch-up after that and her fitness has been a problem.
“She also has a big stride and fast cruising speed so I was not surprised she came back to the field at the end of the race,” he said.
The trainer said that he was now going to turn the filly out until the Autumn.
Fuld’s Bet has won three times from seven starts with three placings.
The new association of Miller with Azzopardi also paid off later in the day when Sujet gave the trainer and apprentice a double for the meeting.