Pollard Chasing Sydney First With Wet Track Duo

It’s been a year of firsts for trainer Todd Pollard and he’ll tick off another with his first Randwick runners on Saturday on what is something of a full circle occasion.

The 32-year-old moved over to Sydney from New Zealand some five years ago to work for Annabel Archibald in the early stages of her training career, overseeing horses like superstar Zaaki, before he managed the stable’s Queensland satellite at its inception.

Since going out on his own in February, Pollard wasted no time in training his first winner with his second starter and already has two stakes wins on the board.

And he’s bringing wet trackers All Kinds Of Folk (D'argento) and Chassagne (Dundeel) to Randwick looking to chalk up that maiden Sydney win.

“I can’t ask for anything better than how it’s unfolded for me, I wasn’t expecting anything so it’s all great at the moment,’’ Pollard said.

“These are two mares that definitely need it wet so I’m hoping it keeps raining. If it stays heavy I’ll be over the moon.”

All Kinds Of Folk is Pollard’s top seed among the duo as she looks to atone for an unlucky last start defeat in the Asahi Super Dry Handicap (1800m).

She was a winner at her first run for him back on Anzac Day on a heavy track and he said there have been excuses for her past three runs, particularly her second at Doomben a few weeks ago.

“It’s probably been somewhat of a frustrating prep,’’ he said.

“She won really well first-up, she was pretty well placed in provincial company to do so but 1400m was always going to be short of her best.

“Second-up she got back from a wide draw in a slowly run race, nothing got into it. We put her on the quick back-up and she didn’t really handle it but still ran an okay fifth.

“Then at Doomben she was certainly a good thing beaten, she got held up and shuffled back in the field and was the worst affected by the slow tempo. There was no doubt she should have won but it means she didn’t go up in ratings points for this.”

The four-year-old, $4.40 with TAB on Thursday, drops 4kg for her Sydney debut and Pollard would like to think she gets her chance.

“She’s been knocking on the door and she deserves a crack at a race like this. Sydney off season is perfect for her,’’ he said.

“She’s a mare that will relish the heavy conditions.

“The prizemoney is so enticing and it’d be a great result for her and the owner if we can pick up a good chunk of it.”

Chassagne has her first run for Pollard in the Robrick Lodge Eremein Handicap (1600m) but he’s far from a stranger to the mare who came to him from the Archibald camp.

He said her spring campaign was a write off and while the race is undoubtedly a starting point she’s a horse that will appreciate the conditions.

“It’d be a waste of time kicking off on a good track, she’s an older mare who feels her runs a bit, it’s a long way to go for a kick off race but that’s the best thing for the horse and the longevity of the preparation,’’ he said.

“She can run well first-up over a mile for sure. She’s been off the scene for a long time so hopefully she’s finding the line late.

“She probably hasn’t quite lived up to what we expected but she had three runs last preparation on good tracks and it really jarred her up.” - Racing NSW