All eyes will be on Polly Grey to take on Doomben Cup champ Zaaki

A lot of eyes will be on superstar stablemate Kolding in the Doomben Cup on Saturday, but Chris Waller’s respected strapper Clare Heuston said it’d be a smart bet putting your hard-earned on Polly Grey.

The seven-year-old – with Tim Clark to ride her – was super competitive in her length defeat to Cup favourite Zaaki in the $500,000 Hollindale Stakes (1800m) at Gold Coast Turf Club.

She kept coming at Annabel Neasham’s $1.45 favourite with Betfair for this weekend, and who is the defending Doomben Cup champion.

The veteran grey mare is the second favourite on Saturday, with good odds of $7.50.

“She ran terrific against Zaaki. Another 100m and she probably puts him away,” Heuston told horsebetting.com.au.

“And she loves a wet track, too. We’ve got some top chances up there.”

And that’s without mentioning $61 outsider Kolding, with Kukeracha ($13) and Great House ($17) carrying good form into the feature.

Kukeracha finished third in the Hollindale Stakes and Great House was second in the Gosford Gold Cup (2080m) last start on May 7.

Kolding – the 2019 Golden Eagle winner – finished 10th in the Hollindale Stakes, but it wasn’t the effort which concerns Heuston.

It’ll be the track conditions.

“He doesn’t like a heavy track. He would probably find the track not to his liking,” she said.

“But he’s a tryer and he will try.

“It was a good run last start. He’ll definitely benefit from the run and he’ll improve.”

Heuston said five-year-old mare Nudge – the $4.20 favourite with Palmerbet and with Nash Rawiller aboard – would be hard to beat in the $150,000 Magic Millions Pam O’Neill Stakes (1600m).

She flew home to finish sixth, but only a length behind Bjorn Baker’s winner Exotic Ruby in the Hawkesbury Crown (1300m) last start on April 30.

“My pick would probably be Nudge. Her last start at Hawkesbury was an eye-catcher,” she said.

“And probably another 50m and she wins first-up.

“She went up there (Wednesday) night and she looks tip-top.”

Heuston was also pleased with River Snitty’s runner-up finish, with Hugh Bowman in the saddle, to Terry Croft’s Straya Pride in a Class 1 Handicap (1400m) at Hawkesbury on Thursday.

“It was great. Hughie said he was really in for the fight,” she said.

“He was flat-footed, but once they came around the corner he had to stoke him up to get him rolling.

“And then once he got there he was coming on. And once (winning jockey Kathy O’Hara) came outside of him he was really determined to get to the line and win.”

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