Tricky draws are Daniel Gibbons’ biggest concern for star female duo Kelsey Bale and Yahiro Bale when they headline Thursday night’s heats of the Group 2 Orson Allen @ Stud Bogie Leigh Futurity (520m) at Brisbane’s Albion Park.
Kelsey Bale, last start winner of the G2 Laurels at Sandown Park, has drawn box 5 in the first of two heats – race 2 at 7.58pm – while Yahiro Bale will exit box 4 in the second runoff – race 3 at 8.17pm.
Despite the tough draws, both head Sportsbet markets, with Kelsey Bale at $1.95, while Yahiro Bale is joint $2.50 favourite with local Dolly Dutton.
“They went up to Queensland a week ago and are staying with Brent Kline,” Daniel Gibbons explained.
“They both trialled at Albion Park last week and went really good. I’m flying up tomorrow. I’ll be happy if one can get through to make it worth the trip!”
Kelsey Bale is mounting her second Queensland campaign, having run second in a heat of the G2 Flying Amy Classic last June, when she also had to contend with the ‘five’ alley.
In fact, Kelsey Bale’s awkward Futurity draw continues a cursed run on her interstate expeditions.
“This is the fifth time she’s gone interstate and drawn box 5,” Gibbons lamented.
“Maybe she’s used to it now!”
Click HERE for Sportsbet’s latest prices on QLD Futurity heats
Incredibly, the daughter of Feral Franky also had to contend with box five in visits to Temora for the Million Dollar Chase series and Wentworth Park in both the heats of the G1 Peter Mosman Opal and G3 Ladies Bracelet, finishing unplaced on each occasion.
She’s also been confronted with the yellow rug in recent appearances on home soil, producing a stunning last-to-first performance in the G3 Silver Bullet at The Meadows on October 31, where she ran down the airborne Amron Boy, and finishing a nose second in her Laurels heat.
“She is getting a lot smarter in a field,” Gibbons said.
“Because of the way she races, she’s bound to find trouble sometimes, but she’s learnt how to weave her way through the field a lot better.”
WATCH: “Have a look at this for a run!” YAHIRO BALE (B5) overcame a poor start to career away with the G3 SA Oaks Final at Angle Park on September 15.
Yahiro Bale, also sired by Feral Franky, will be chasing her second interstate feature, having won the G3 SA Oaks in brilliant fashion in September – where she broke ‘Team Gibbons’ well-documented Group race hoodoo.
However, she was then sidelined for three months due to a cracked fibula.
But Yahiro Bale has returned in encouraging fashion, coming from last to run a close second in a heat of the Laurels before winning the Whiskey Riot Classic at The Meadows at The Phoenix meeting in a Best Of Night 29.81sec.
“We’re stoked with how she’s come back,” said Gibbons of Yahiro Bale.
“We just want to keep her on the track now. If we can, I reckon she’ll show that she’s as good if not better than ‘Kelsey’. In another 10 starts she could surpass ‘Kelsey’.
“If they’d both drawn good boxes on Thursday night, I would’ve said they were unbeatable. But from those draws, they’re both going to need some luck.
“Yahiro Bale can ping the lids and if she does jump to the front, they won’t catch her.
“With only two heats, the plan is that they can run top four and hopefully one of them can draw ‘the red’ for the final!”
Gibbons’ ‘Bale’ pair are the only Victorians engaged in the heats of the Futurity and G2 Queensland Derby.
