Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Michelle Payne has the secret to speedster Fab Fevola who runs at Flemington on Saturday.
That’s the opinion of trainer Dean Binaisse who will saddle the nine-year-old in the Craftsman Handicap over the straight 1000m course.
Payne has had five rides on the gelding for two seconds and two fourth placings with the only poor showing coming on a heavy track when Binaisse said the gelding shouldn’t have started.
Binaisse said the key to Fab Fevola is not to fight the sprinter which has undergone three wind operations.
“Even though he runs in a straight line flat out, he’s a real tricky horse to ride,” Binaisse said.
“You have to ask him to get a break then get him to come back without choking him down because he can’t breathe.
“You’ve got to get him to relax, but then you can’t get him to slow too much because he won’t sprint away.
“He’ll give a short kick and then hold it the best he can.”
Binaisse said Payne had ridden Fab Fevola that way to placings at Moonee Valley at his past two starts.
Despite being winless at Flemington in 13 attempts, Fab Fevola has four second placings to his credit.
But his best performance up the straight was finishing fourth behind Lankan Rupee, Brazen Beau and Deep Field in the Group One Lightning Stakes, beaten just under five lengths.
Binaisse said Fab Fevola wasn’t saddled between races and was trained with a mixture of water walker, jumping and bullring sessions.
“You would think he’s an unbroken yearling or two-year-old the way he carries on,” Binaisse said.
“He’s bucking and squealing and rearing up.
“We know what he likes so we stick to that routine.”
