The 1450m Three Troikas has a mixed history, with short-priced favourites regularly biting the dust, and winners priced as long as 12/1 and 16/1 arriving in the last seven years.
Maleficent beat Querari Falcon by three lengths at level weights as a 2yo. She has consistently reproduced her rating from that race and looks a good thing.
Here’s an evaluation of the race based on Sporting Post’s ratings, the 3yo fillies listed in card order.
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Last Chirp has quite consistent form, running to her best rating three times in her last five starts. She often races with the pace and is drawn well for that purpose at one. Good place chance on normal form.
Babbling Brooke’s last run was career-best rating. She usually races over 1600m, but shorter distance might well suit the Western Winter filly. On best rating she has a big chance.
Al Hawraa’s last (winning) run produced a career-best rating. She looks distance suited. Has a widish draw, but normally races from behind. Rated on a par with Last Chirp, both having good place chances.
Pool Party’s last run was a winning effort over 1400m, close to best rating. She is drawn wide, but is effective from off the pace (as well as with it). Looks to have a bit to do here.
Anna Pavlova is on a hattrick, showing improved ratings at her last two starts. She might still be able to improve further on her rating, but has a tough task here.
Maleficent (named after the main villain in Walt Disney’s 1959 movie Sleeping Beauty) is lightly raced, highly tried, showing quite consistent ratings. She looks to have a big chance (top rated) if those ratings are reproduced. This could well be a fairytale ending for the Mistress Of All Evil.
Zaakhira often races handy, and tries blinkers again. She was supported at her last start (without blinkers), but ran well below normal rating. Often supported and might well be better than her rating suggests, in which case she has a chance.
Visuality ran two topclass ratings as a 2yo in sprints, but hasn’t reproduced those as a 3yo (she would be top rated here if she could). Her last four runs were in the Cape during the season, and rather a mixed bag. Frustrating to follow, but not one to ignore.
Comme-ci-comme-ca ran two good 1200m sprints early at three, racing handy. She has been disappointing since over a variety of distances, being held up. Her last effort was the best of her last four runs and she could be getting back in form. Drawn widest of all, but on best form in with a chance.
Rouge Allure returned to sprinting at last start, running well below normal rating. This distance suits better. Drawn wide, but seems effective from off the pace (as well as with it). Has a bit to do.
Elusive Strike is very lightly raced, and improved on her rating with every run. She might well improve further, but has a bit to find in this company.
Triple Digit made a winning debut racing handy, but hasn’t been able to reproduce her winning rating in four starts since, racing from behind. Needs to improve to have a chance.
