Best Ahead For Puppy Classic Contender

HIGHLY promising bitch Notified heads into Sunday's Group 3 Nowra Puppy Classic Final (520m) off a slick semi-final win but trainer Chris O'Brien is adamant she will need plenty of luck.

The daughter of Fernando Bale-Justifia scored by half a length over boom Victorian Destruction in 30.18 when coming off the eight box.

She has come up with the eight box in the final.

“The eight is a tough box to win out of at Nowra,” said O'Brien.

“You generally need to be a good length clear early to be able to head the of the field out of the eight.”

But O'Brien is just as confident he has a high class race bitch in the making.

“She has always shown plenty of ability and can run fast times in her trials,” he said.

“For a daughter of Fernando Bale she is a big bitch and a tenacious chaser.”

Plans for Notified after the Nowra final include a tilt at the Ladies Bracelet at Wentworth Park where she has already finished second from just one race start on the track.

“The final is a very tough race with lots of speed inside my bitch,” said O'Brien.

“Bandit Ned, On The Rocks and of course Destruction all have lots of pace and ability,” he said.

“Bandit Ned is the one to beat in the final.”

O'Brien and the bitch's owners already earmarked Notified as a potential broodbitch, losing the mother through a twisted bowel when her only litter was just six months old.

“It was a very sad day because not only did we lose Justifia but her mother, Tifia, died the same day from cancer,” said Chris.

Trouble At Mill (Unlawful Entry-Sketchy Fanta) landed the other classic semi in 29.84 beating Group 3 Magic Maiden winner Bandit Ned by almost three lengths for owner-trainer Alex Anderson.

NOWRA FIELDS AND FORM SUNDAY

Puppy Classic final (in box draw order): 1 Rockstar Newbold, 2 On The Rocks, 3 Overflow Lisa, 4 Kylie Keeping, 5 Trouble At Mill, 6 Destruction, 7  Bandit Ned, 8 Notified.