BENDIGO'S Joel Selwood has thrown his support behind Just Folk's bid to earn a berth in next month's $5 million All-Star Mile at Flemington as public voting closes this weekend.
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Geelong AFL captain Selwood returned to his hometown on Friday to visit the stables of Bendigo trainer Josh Julius to help drum up support for Just Folk, which as of Friday afternoon was 20th in All-Star Mile voting with 1284 votes.
"It would be great for Bendigo if Just Folk can get a start in the All-Star Mile, so we need the people of Bendigo to get in and show their support," Selwood said.
We've got a really good horse in our own backyard, so we need as many votes as we can get.
The All-Star Mile (1600m) is the world's richest mile race and will feature a field of 15 when it's run for the fourth time on Saturday, March 19.
The field will consist of 10 horses that have been voted in by the public, as well as five wildcard runners.
Public voting for the All-Star Mile closes at 11.59pm on Sunday, with the top-10 place-getters to be revealed by Racing Victoria on Wednesday.
"It has been great to have Joel come up here today and get behind Just Folk and the All-Star Mile," Julius said.
"It's obviously a big event for Racing Victoria in the autumn, so for Joel to come back to Bendigo today and support us is terriffic.
"Hopefully, it helps us generate some votes and we can sneak into the race.
"Overall, the support has been great. I play cricket at White Hills and all the White Hills boys have got in behind us and I've also had some opposition players say they've put a vote in.
"While we're not out of contention, we'll need a rally over the weekend to get an automatic start."
To vote for Just Folk, go to allstarmile.com.au/horse-profiles/just-folk
Meanwhile, Just Folk will return to the track on Saturday at Caulfied in the Group 1 C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m).
It will be five-year-old gelding Just Folk's second start at Group 1 level having finished 6th in October's Cantala Stakes (1600m) at Flemington.
"Everything is going well with him heading into Saturday," Julius said.
"It's obviously going to be a step-up in conditions going up to weight-for-age level, but he's in good order.
"He galloped well before the races at Bendigo last Sunday and he has galloped well again on Wednesday, so I'm certainly happy enough with him going in.
"I know the bookies have him ranked as a pretty big outsider, but he has drawn really well (barrier four), he gets the winkers on for the first time and in our mind, he ticks a lot of boxes."
Just Folk will be ridden by jockey Dean Holland.
"If he was to repeat that performance from the Cantala Stakes a few months ago he'd certainly be competitive," Julius said.
"The only difference though is we're under the weight-for-age conditions instead of handicap conditions, so we do have to carry the same weight as the rest of them and don't sneak in on the minimum. But he's feeling well and ready to go."
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