Digital One, Provocativa set for redemption

UNITED STATES-BRED DIGITAL ONE and PROVOCATIVA should redeem themselves against fields stacked with local runners in divisions one and two, respectively, of Saturday’s O & S Tack Room Trophy at a mile.

Both foreigners report off-barn changes: DIGITAL ONE moved from Jason DaCosta, joining stablemate ATOMICA at Gary Subratie’s yard. PROVOCATIVA, no pun intended, was a ‘provocative’ sale by champion owner Carlton Watson, taking the five-year-old mare from Greg Fennell’s barn to owner-trainer Oral Hayden.

DIGITAL ONE, through no doing of her own, has found overnight allowance way tougher than the local-bred two-year-olds against whom she ran up a hat-trick of wins within the space of seven weeks late last year.

Debuting as a three-year-old, off a six-month break in May, she was walloped on the lead by WALL STREET TRADER at six furlongs. Returning at a mile a month later, she got into a speed duel with in-utero NEO STAR, a duel that played into the hands of EASY AS A. B. C.

Hoping third time would have been a charm at the level, DIGITAL ONE was outfinished by MILOS at seven furlongs on June 29. Returning a month ago, the filly was outsped at five furlongs straight by fellow American and DaCosta stablemate CHOCOMO, after which owner Oakridge Farms packed her bags and shipped the filly off to Subratie.

TELLING DECISION

Sensing DIGITAL ONE needs to slow her roll, Subratie has removed the blinkers in which DaCosta had tried her out of the straight, a telling decision, considering the foreigner has only competed once in seven starts without headgear.

However, the move to have her run a mile without headgear could bear fruit, considering DIGITAL ONE’s preference for slower paces, which she can dominate without being bothered on the lead.

True to form, Subratie has not asked DIGITAL ONE to do much at exercise. BURLAP, reporting for Hayden off a barn change, had caused DIGITAL ONE a spot of bother on the lead when she was outfinished by MILOS. However, BURLAP is rather inconsistent and may not be tuned for a mile for his first run under Hayden’s care.

Being the controlling speed, DIGITAL ONE should be thoroughly relaxed under title-chasing Raddesh Roman, who appears to also have division two at his mercy with PROVOCATIVA.

After galloping 1:16.3 out the chute two Saturdays past for his new connections, PROVOCATIVA need not have moved another muscle. However, Hayden sent the American mare through a half-mile spin last Saturday, clocking 49.0 on the round, suggesting she is cherry-ripe for a mile.

OASIS JAK, who is yet to venture past five and a half furlongs in eight starts locally, the other five being at five furlongs straight, appears the only runner capable of provoking PROVOCATIVA – but only for a brief spell.