Kolpin Happy With Billy The Brat

Friday, 16 July 2010 03:00

Trainer Darren Kolpin is hoping a rain-affected track and a severe pull in the weights can work in favour of Billy The Brat tomorrow at Morphettville.

The Mount Gambier-based horseman is quietly confident heading into tomorrow’s $50,000 Allan Scott Park Morphettville Handicap (1800m).

“He’s going super,” Kolpin told the Virtual Formguide before adding “He likes these wet tracks we’re currently racing on.”

“I couldn’t be any happier.”

And with good reason too. Billy The Brat has won three of his last six starts, two of those registered in the metropolitan area.

The son of Blevic has always displayed promise from his initial racetrack appearances. He won three of his first five starts with the last of those victories a four length romp at Warrnambool.

“We went to Warrnambool and won there pretty impressively and then went back to Adelaide and finished second behind Big Slick,” Kolpin said.

“However tomorrow we meet him a fair bit better at the weights.”

Big Slick carried three kilos more then Billy The Brat and won decisively – just under five lengths. Tomorrow with apprentice Melissa Walters in the saddle, Billy The Brat will have a 6.5kg advantage.

“Melissa (Walters) walks around at around 47kgs so she’ll be able to take off the full 3kgs.”

Walters has ridden Billy The Brat once previously for a win at Morphettville in May.

“She’s very good, the horses just run for her,” he added.

The four-year-old gelding will be having his second start over 1800 metres after finishing down the track behind Maestro Of Murano at his only attempt last season.

“I don’t see the 1800 metres as any problem,” he said.

“He’s only had one start over the 1800 metres but that was at the end of last prep.”

Boasting a record of six wins and four placings from 18 starts, a win on the weekend will take Billy The Brat’s earnings beyond the $100,000 mark.

Meanwhile, stablemate Likable Will is recovering after suffering a minor setback following his win at Morphettville on June 19.

Kolpin intends on running the nine-year-old gelding at Morphettville Parks next Saturday in a $50,000 Flying Handicap over 1000 metres.

There have been already two scratchings for tomorrow’s meeting at Morphettville. Beijing Bolt has been withdrawn from the fourth race while Plumbago will take no part in the final event on the program.

Morphettville (Saturday)

Race 6 @ 3:34pm (EST) - $50,000 Allan Scott Park Morphettville Handicap (1800m)

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