Kate Gath will drive Jubilee Ball for her father Peter Thompson on Friday night
Jubilee Ball has answered every challenge Peter Thompson has thrown his way in the past two months, so the time has come to test him at metropolitan level.
That’s the theory employed by the Melton trainer, who has the five-year-old son of Presidential Ball engaged in one of Friday night’s $15,000 Winter Championship heats at Moonee Valley.
The gelding, a resounding winner of his last six starts, will make his metropolitan debut in the last of the night’s three heats.
“Every win you have I suppose you’re closer to a loss, but the horse is well within himself and he’s certainly no different to the way he’s been in the last month so he should run okay again,” Thompson said.
They are ominous signs for Jubilee Ball’s rivals as only once during his winning streak has his winning margin been less than six-and-a-half metres. That was in the $30,000 Group 3 Tontine Pacers Final when he had three-and-three-quarter metres to spare over his nearest rival.
“We’ve just been racing him through the grades but even we have been surprised at what he’s been doing,” Thompson said.
“He was $1.30 or $1.40 chance last start, which I was a bit surprised at, but he end up beating good horses Barachias and Michael Mockridge like a short-priced favourite should. I was wrong, but I was happy to be.”
Thompson’s daughter, prominent female driver Kate Gath, will take the reins aboard Jubilee Ball, who will roll from barrier four in the final event on the card (at 10.42pm).
Harness Racing Victoria price assessor Bill Hutchison has marked Jubilee Ball a raging $1.50 favourite.
The two opening Winter Championship heats kick off Friday night’s program.
The first is at 6.42pm and shapes as an intriguing battle between The Stewardess ($4, barrier one), Royal Shiraz ($4, eight) and Albert Jaccka ($3.50, 12), while Mister Swinger ($2.70, 11) and Charleys Dream ($3.50, seven) dominate betting in heat two at 7.12pm.
The first three placegetters in each heat, along with the two fastest fourths, will qualify for the $25,000 final to be run at the same venue a week later.
