Wide draw a concern for Dwyer with Leotie

Henry Dwyer has had to take an unorthodox path to the Thousand Guineas with Leotie, but a bigger concern for the trainer is the filly’s wide barrier.

Dwyer was forced to miss the Thousand Guineas Prelude with Leotie two weeks ago when she had to be treated for a minor respiratory infection a few days before the race.

As an alternative, the trainer took Leotie to Bendigo eight days ago for her Guineas lead-up and the filly got the job done, winning a benchmark race against older horses.

She was forced to work harder than Dwyer hoped because the race was on heavy ground.

While it took Leotie a couple of days to get over the run, Dwyer is confident she’s 100 per cent for Saturday’s 1600m feature for fillies at Caulfield but she will need to overcome barrier 14 in the field of 15.

“We’re really happy with the filly. She’s as good as she can be,” Dwyer said.

“It just makes it tough from the barrier, I suppose.

“I’m pretty confident she’ll run as well as she’s capable of, but whether she’s too far back to manage to win, that might be the case.”

Dwyer said given the stable has put in a lot of work to get the filly to settle, he hopes she can get cover from the wide draw.

“If we can get in midfield that would be great, but more than likely she’s going to have to go right back to get cover,” he said.

“If she’s too far off them, so be it, but if she’s within striking distance then she’ll be hard to beat.”

Leotie, to be ridden by Chris Parnham who is chasing his first Group One win, is at $17 with Sydney fillies Foxplay and Global Glamour the market leaders at $3.30 and $4 respectively.

“It looks an even race and being an even race it’s going to be hard for her to give away ground and still beat them,” Dwyer said.

“Realistically she’s probably going to have to be two or three lengths better than them to win, which I doubt she is, because I think it’s pretty even.

“But if she gets some luck then I think she’s a winning chance.”

Leotie has impressed Parnham since he first rode her to a maiden win at Sale in July and he has been keen to stick with her throughout the spring heading to the Thousand Guineas.