CHARLTON trainer Greg Norman will look to execute the first part of a potential two-stage hit-and-run raid in his former home state of South Australia this weekend with Belladonna Girl.
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The three-year-old filly will line-up in the first heat of the Southern Cross Series at Globe Derby on Saturday night in the hopes of qualifying for the following weekend's $50,000 final.
She will head across the border in terrific form following an exciting fourth in last weekend's $200,000 Group 1 Breeders Crown final at Tabcorp Park Melton.
Norman, who is prevented from accompanying the horse to Adelaide due to COVID-19 border restrictions and will instead be at Tabcorp Park Melton where Cee Cee In America and Zadaka will go to head-to-head in the opening race, could not have been prouder of Belladonna Girl's Breeders Crown campaign.
"We were rapt; they were the best three-year-old fillies in the land, so to run fourth against those horses is very nice," he said.
"She's getting better as she goes. She's another horse of ours, who has had a few issues in the last 12 months. She had a bit of a sore back, which took a bit of getting right.
"We think we've got it right. All her runs in this time have been good. The numbers don't look that good in the Breeders Crown, but she was going well from bad draws. That makes it hard.
"You look at the two runs in this time when she's led, that's her go; she's a very strong filly in front and hard to get past."
Belladonna Girl will come from the outside of the second row on Saturday night after drawing 10, with Danielle Hill taking the reins.
The daughter of Hes Watching and Mixed With A Twist was at odds of $142.50 for last Saturday night's final, won by the David Miles-trained The Pantheist, but plenty of her more fancied rivals home.
Norman already has a win to his credit this week courtesy of his grey trotter Blue Coman, who won the last race at Bendigo's Lords Raceway, on Tuesday night.
The four-year-old gelding has plenty of ability with four wins from 26 starts and was brilliantly driven by champion reinswoman Kerryn Manning.
"He's a nice horse; he's just had a few issues and he doesn't trot all the time, but when he trots, he's quite handy," Norman said.
"There's just been a few niggling things in trying to get him right, but he was pretty good on (Tuesday).
"Kerryn said that's the best he has trotted, so hopefully we are winning the battle with him.
"I think we'll try and run through the country grades for a few runs, but I think he can measure up to winning a race at Melton at some point."
Norman was confident both Zadaka and Cee Cee In America would give good accounts of themselves at Melton.
Zadalka, to be driven by Greg Sugars, is chasing back-to-back wins at Melton after winning at harness racing headquarters on November 7.
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