AN UNDERDOG STATUS THAT CAN BE WORN WITH PRIDE

By Graham Potter | Friday, January 13, 2023

The glitter strip is alive and well. All of racing’s big players ... and then some ... are in town at the Gold Coast and millions of dollars are changing hands in what sometimes resembles a feeding frenzy in the sales ring.

Bragging rights ... flash headlines ... dominate the scene.

For trainer Tina Cotsiopoulos that generally all belongs to another world, but, with a mere half-dozen horses in work, Cotsiopoulos will be taking on powerhouse stables, such as the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott training Partnership, Team Snowden and Bjorn Baker, amongst others, when she sends Pontypridd out to contest The Debut ... a new $500 000 race for unraced two-year-olds ... which will be run for the first time at the Gold Coast on Saturday with twelve runners due to face the starter.

“It was actually the owner, Graham Mallory, who planned it all,” said Cotsiopoulos.

“He bought the horse in January last year and decided that’s what he wanted to do.

“He paid $25 000 for him, so he was not as expensive as some of the others. I went through them and looked them all up.

“It is a nice occasion to be part of ... but, I’m not going with any expectations. They are all unraced. ... trial winners ... and. as I said, some are just a bit more expensive than others ... but Pontypridd is well.

“There was something like a hundred and twenty plus nominations, so I’m obviously happy that the plan worked out.

“I’ve never raced in a $500 000, so I think I might get excited closer to the time, but I’m not excited yet.

“It’s more like I just want to get him there in one piece ... and that’s my focus at this stage.”

Cotsiopoulos has already had a good week saddling a winner, Tecoma Street, at Kilcoy on Thursday at juicy double figure odds of $16.

It is obviously a very different ball-game on Saturday. but the underdog status is sometimes a role that you can play with pride ... and Cotsiopoulos can do that on this occasion, secure in the knowledge that her team has done a fine job in getting Pontypridd into final field for The Debut ... some would say, against the odds.

Pontypridd, who is quoted at $71, will be ridden by Andrew Spinks.

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