Glasgow Lass has Scot plenty of ability and looks hard to beat at Belmont

Trainer Mitchell Pateman will have exciting three-year-old filly Glasgow Lass as a boiling hot $1.60 favourite for the opening event at Belmont on Saturday as she looks to justify a lofty reputation. The daughter of Alabama Express had a controlling interest purchased by Yulong Investments after her win at her sole start and lines up for her first appearance since January. Subsequent to that performance, Glasgow Lass had surgery to remove bone chips but has trialled in emphatic fashion with two blistering showings at Lark Hill and Belmont. “She’s a very good horse - not many horses win every trial, and her only start on debut she beat the Magic Millions winner and beat him easy,” Pateman told TABradio. “She ran the hands off the clock - that’s why Yulong bought her. “She had a bit of a hiccup after that start but she seems to have come back really well from it. “Her trials have been great, her fitness levels are reasonably good, and she strikes probably a more winnable race than she did on debut. “She’s probably strengthened up a little bit but she didn’t really need to - she was a pretty strong two-year-old. “She’s a beautiful type of horse and she’s got the motor to match it.” “I’d be going there expecting Glasgow Lass to go there and get the job done.” Pateman will also be represented by Think Of God in the second race, who resumes having graduated from a provincial maiden to land a metropolitan win at her next start in her last campaign. “She’s another mare that we’ve got a pretty big opinion of,” Pateman said. “She’s above average, she gets the blinkers on for the first time, and she’s been working with Glasgow Lass and can keep up with her which is no mean feat. “It’s another winnable race - only a six horse field - and she’s a pretty good horse.” Later, Triple Jay will line up as a $2.45 favourite for the $100,000 Jockey Celebration Day Stakes (1400m) as the gelding looks for four wins from his last five starts with jockey Brad Parnham in the saddle. “He’ll probably end up outside the speed - that’s where he’s won last two from - so hopefully he lobs there and is good enough to win,” Parnham said. “With the right luck, he should be hard to beat.” Trainer Grant Williams says Crescent City ($7) could run a race fresh but is likely to need the run. “He’ll probably need the hit-out tomorrow - we were going to give him another trial on Monday but I threw him in this race,” Williams said. “The race was a bit light-on other than the favourite but he’s a bit podgy, so I’d be a bit hesitant.”