Reigning champs ready to defend titles

REIGNING champions Let Her Roll and Mac Bon are primed to defend their titles.

Thanks to their heat wins last weekend, the duo will aim for consecutive Breeders’ Crown Finals in Melton on Saturday night.

Last season Let Her Roll secured the Two-Year-Old Fillies’ Final, while Mac Bon proved too good among the colts and geldings.

With local reinsman John Caldow debutizing for trainer Luke McCarthy during the qualifier, Mac Bon rated 1:55.2 over 2240 metres – nine-tenths of a second quicker than Captain Perfect in the second heat.

McCarthy is poised to return to the sulky in the $100,00 decider, where the son of Mcwicked will begin from barrier 12.

Captain Perfect, which heads betting markets at $2.80 with TAB Fixed Odds, has drawn gate 10. Mac Bon is the $4.60 second elect.

“He’s come through the heat in terrific condition and is right where I want him going into the Final,” McCarthy said. “The draw is not ideal, but not the end of the world either.”

Captain Perfect is trained by leading horsewoman Emma Stewart, who also prepares Let Her Roll.

Despite being the current title holder, and a heat winner, Let Her Roll is on the fourth line of betting at $7 after drawing the outside of the back line.

Although beaten as a $1.85 favourite in her heat, Beach Diamond remains at the top of the table at $2 with TAB Fixed Odds.

Also prepared by Stewart, Beach Diamond is the widest drawn runner on the front row.

“I’m happy with both the fillies,” Stewart said. “Let Her Roll won from a poor draw last year and she is capable of doing it again.

“Both fillies are in terrific order and will be hard to beat. It’ll come down to how the race is run.”