Veteran jockey Dwayne Dunn will partner Blazing Hearts in the Tattersall's Mile at Eagle Farm
Running as the final race at Eagle Farm on Saturday, the $100,000 Tattersall’s Racing Club Mile (1600m) is set to be contested by a field of 18 starters, first emergency King Of The Nile to get a start after the early scratching of Steel Zip.
Markets for the showdown are currently lead by gun Kiwi miler Firebolt and last-start Eagle Farm winner Willy Jimmy, but one longer-priced contender whose connections believe has genuine claims for an upset is Blazing Hearts.
A Show A Heart gelding from Lion Hunter mare Strong Of Heart, Blazing Hearts is at long odds of $34 to become this year’s Tattersall’s Mile winner.
Drawn in barrier nine, Blazing Hearts is set to be ridden by veteran jockey Dwayne Dunn who will be partnering with the horse for the first time on Saturday.
It has been a season of mixed form for Blazing Hearts, but Bougoure has seen enough promise to suggest they can give the favourites a scare in the Tatt’s Mile.
After winning a 1350m handicap at Doomben on May 14 from a wide barrier 15 of 16 draw, Blazing Hearts stepped up to Group level on June 4.
In a brave effort after being forced to race wide throughout, Blazing Hearts came within four lengths of winner Varenna Miss with eighth in the Group 2 QTC Cup (1300m).
They produced another courageous finish last start, the rising seven-year-old crossing just over three lengths away sixth behind fellow Tattersall’s Mile rival Willy Jimmy in the Listed Strawberry Road Handicap (1600m) at Eagle Farm a fortnight ago.
“He pulled for the first half mile the other day,” Bougoure said of Blazing Heart’s run in the Strawberry Road Handicap.
“But with Firebolt in the race (on Saturday) they should run along at a decent clip this time.
“He’s a typical Show A Heart.
“They love to be ridden quietly and come around them.”
