DISCUSSION on Saturday’s McLachlan Stakes at Doomben has focused largely on Oakleigh Girl, Echo Gal and Unencumbered, but Robert Heathcote notes his unbeaten youngster Pinch River warrants consideration, reports Racing Network.
Pinch River enters the $150,000 Listed Race with an unblemished record, one of five juveniles who haven’t been beaten.
Heathcote said the McLachlan had attracted “two of the benchmark fillies in the country” in Oakleigh Girl and Echo Gal, which sit atop the Magic Millions betting chart.
But, Heathcote said he had a “huge opinion” of Pinch River, which has been freshened since his six length win at Doomben in quick time on November 16.
“He’s a thorough little professional and the think I like about him the most apart from the fact that he’s fast is that he’s bombproof,” Heathcote said.
“The question I can’t answer until tomorrow is if he’s good enough. You can’t knock his form, he’s had two starts for two wins and he did a few things wrong in his first win.
“His last win on a Dead track was most authoritative. He won by six and really ran away from them.
“I’ve had the luxury of giving him a little bit of an ease up, gave him time on the water walker and then he’s had a jump out and he won that by six lengths.
“He’s just a quality little racehorse who does everything right.”
Heathcote said if there is to be a chink in the armour of Oakleigh Girl and Echo Gal then Pinch River might be able to exploit it.