Superbly-bred sprinter Fantastic Raven (pictured above, courtesy Kurt Donsberg Photography) has certainly done her fair share of ‘migrating’ over the course of her 33-start career, starting her career in NSW, before ‘winging’ it to South Australia, Western Australia and now Victoria.
A daughter of the great Fernando Bale and Fantastic Dotty, which holds the Dapto 520m record, Fantastic Raven has found her way to Briagolong trainer Matt Clark and the G1-winning mentor is excited to have the ‘frequent flier’’.
After relocating from WA, Fantastic Raven was beaten at her first start for Clark, when unplaced at Sandown Park on July 25, but then proceeded to reel off four straight wins at Sale, Warragul, Shepparton and Ballarat.
The blueblood was then beaten at odds-on at her next two at Warragul and Shepparton, before making an impressive debut at The Meadows last Saturday, coming from last to run an unlucky and strong-finishing third.
Fantastic Raven returns to The Meadows on Saturday, where Clark is supremely confident she can claim her first Victorian city success in race 9, a Grade 5 event at 7.04pm, with one proviso, she needs to navigate a path from Box 5.
“If she steps on Saturday, I think she’ll brain them,” said Clark bullishly.
“I’m very keen on her chances, but I’m not keen on the box. She wants the inside but I can’t draw a box with her.
“She’s only a small thing; she’s a real pocket rocket. Everywhere she trials she trials sensational and after her run at The Meadows last Saturday, I really think the 500m will be right down her alley.
“It was out of character for her to miss the kick last week. It was a monster run and she really surprised me because I thought she would be a front-running hit-and-miss 500m dog but she really stood up and showed us what she can do.