Quirky mare to continue strong form in Final

QUIRKY mare With Aplomb is favoured to continue her strong form in Saturday night’s Final for metropolitan maidens in Melton.

Boasting four wins from her last six starts, With Aplomb is a $3.20 favourite in the feature despite her awkward draw.

To be driven by John Caldow, the daughter of Wishing Stone will begin from barrier six over 2240 metres.

Pleased with the trotter’s progress, trainer Steve Cleave is confident With Aplomb can complete a clean sweep of the series.

“She’s a nice mare, quirky, but nice,” Cleave said. “You can’t drive her out at the start, but once she has found her rhythm, she is pretty much foolproof.

“At the end, when most would break under pressure, she is as safe as a bank…you can throw everything at her and she doesn’t put a stride out of place.

“It’s the start which is the problem. That’s why I’m not too fussed about the draw as she can’t be pushed out.

“That means she’ll be given time to get her stride going before John has a decision to make.

“If they go hard she will come with one big run, but if the front runners stack them up, she will put into it.”

Citing Tictok as the one to beat from gate three, Cleave also rates Carla Pixie as a danger from eight.

“Tictok is the biggest threat as she will be right up the front and take some running down,” Cleave said. “Pixie is racing in terrific fashion and is likely to get a beautiful run from the draw.

“You can’t overlook Nakedtruth from three either. It’s a pretty even field overall and it wouldn’t be much a surprise no matter who wins.”

In other stable news, Cleave has high hopes for With Aplomb’s younger half-sister, True Aplomb.

“She’s had four starts and run along nicely, including a third a few weeks ago,” Cleave said. “On her work at home she is every bit as good as With Aplomb, she just needs maturing.

“Everything she has shown suggests she will make a beautiful three-year-old.”