It was June 16 last year and Poco Dorado was having her last sprint hit-out at Wentworth Park before trainer John Finn would start putting her over more distance.
She won that night, posting 29.90s, and would win four races over the middle distances at Dapto and Richmond, before stepping up to the 720m at Wentworth Park on July 25.
That night she led most of the way in 42.03s, and the beginning of a brilliant staying career was underway.
On Saturday night, Poco Dorado will not only be chasing another Group feature in the Summer Distance Plate, but will be looking for her 14th straight Wentworth Park win, and to maintain her perfect record over the staying trip at the Glebe circuit, and win her 12th successive 720m Wenty event.
“She’s always gone very well there, and it’s probably the place you want her to be going well,” said John’s wife Minnie.
“She never really surprises me thesedays. Since she has gone over the 700m she’s beginning a lot better and her first three sections were just unbelievable (last week).”
In winning her heat of the Summer Distance Plate, the Queen of Wenty clocked 41.95s leading throughout, but it was her early speed that was so impressive. She posted 15.96s for the first 280m. Not only is that just 0.22s off the track record for that distance, but that time is well inside the 16.12s which is the averaging winning time of Free-For-All class over that distance.
“We might have to put her into a 280m C (class) meeting at Wenty,” Minnie joked. “They are all pretty versatile that litter.”
“There hasn’t been any 720m races in recent weeks so that run would have done her the world of good, and if we can’t get 700s after this week, we’ll bring her back to sprinting.”
While she is the star, her littermates from the Fernando Bale-Chica Destacada mating in 2016 have been also dominant, especially in staying events. Litter brother Blue Moon Rising and sister Veloce Nero have both qualified for the Summer Distance Plate final on Saturday, and the trio – all trained by John – will be looking to repeat their historical performance on December 8 when they filled the trifecta in the Group 3 Summer Cup Final.
And there is also littermate Two Times Twice who has won 16 races and over $110,000 in stakes.
“Poco and Two Times Twice broke in city class, but Blue and Veloce broke in very ordinarily, but clearly they have gone on with improvement and gone on to be very good dogs, and yes, that Summer Cup trifecta was awesome that night.”
Poco Dorado has come up with box one on Saturday night, a draw she has never jumped from over the 720m at Wentworth Park, but one which doesn’t concern Minnie.
“I think it will still be alright. There is not a lot of speed in the race and I’m pretty sure she can lead Veloce and Blue Moon Rising.
“Early on in her career she wanted to come out, and race wide and move up the track but lately she’s been running in straight line to the first turn.
“In the Bold Trease (in Melbourne in November), she had the seven (box) and we thought she was well boxed, and she came out and did a hard left at the start.
“She is learning still over the 700m, but I don’t think box one will worry her.”
Minnie opted for Victorian Barcali, the Bold Trease winner, and runner-up to Poco Dorado in the Summer Distance Plate heat last week, as the obvious danger, along with Book Of Love who won the other heat in 42.23, beating both Blue Moon Rising and Veloce Nero.
