Scuderia (Image: Racing Photos)
Thomas Carberry's Scuderia has taken connections on quite the ride over this season's Ladbroke 55 Second Challenge series and will be out to add the cherry on top with victory in the $130,000 final at The Valley on Friday night.
The muscly daughter of Squamosa, who was purchased online for just $2500 as a foal, has excelled at the 955-metre trip since her first go last October, winning three of four attempts over the unique distance.
With her solitary 955-metre defeat coming by just a nose to the talented Bristler at her most recent start, Carberry said his galloper just suits the trip perfectly and can go very close in the final.
"She's had a great prep and she's shown all the tendencies you want for a horse in the 955-metre series, so we're very hopeful of a good run in the final," he said.
"Her dam was a Stakes winner, Mi Chiamano Mimi, and she's the best bred out of her … Squamosa was suited at 1100m to maybe 1400, but she (Scuderia) is just all speed.
"She's strong, she just has all the characteristics you need for the job and it'll almost be a shame to go back to the 1000m after this! That's probably as far as we'd go anyway."
A key factor for Friday night will be the speed battle, with a host of on-pacers bringing winning form to the race and several of those drawn inside Scuderia.
But Carberry is hopeful Declan Bates can find a nice spot throughout and said even luck to the straight should see his mare, currently a $3.40 chance, right in the finish.
"From barrier five, with Philosopher ($2.60) and Shirshov ($5.50) on her inner, it's hard to know what way the pressure will come from," he said.
"Obviously we'd love to have the rail and let her sail on into the straight, but the likely situation is Philosopher will kick up inside us and we'll end up either on its back or right beside it.
"So hopefully, whatever transpires after that, she just gets a good, fair run and gets every chance."
Scuderia's ownership group is right on the 20-name limit, with main owner Martin Favley slowly adding to the list of connections after purchasing her on the Inglis Digital website in 2020.
And with the mare banking more than $100,000 for them in her past four starts, anyone who had to be persuaded to buy a share will now surely be glad they did.
"He bought her as a foal and sort of got his friends, workmates and his wife involved … they're having a great run with her," Carberry said.