There’s no question from trainer Kerry Parker on Hope In Your Heart’s resolve but he’s hoping the addition of blinkers will give her the edge she needs to claim a deserved Group 1 at Randwick on Saturday.
Trainer Kerry Parker (Pic: Steve Hart)
The five-year-old had a few close calls at the top level in the autumn and on the back her eye-catching first-up effort Parker feels the shades will help her at a crucial part of the Group 1 $1.5m TAB Epsom (1600m).
Earlier this year she won the Group 2 Guy Walter first-up before Group 1 fourths in the Coolmore Classic and Doncaster Mile and a second in the Queen Of The Turf.
“I’m hoping they will help her travel through the race a bit better, she seems to float through the first half of the race,’’ Parker said.
“I think if she’d had them on the day Atishu beat her (in the Queen Of The Turf) she probably beats her.
“It’s where she hits that flat spot, I thought it might help her, when they back off and sprint she takes a while to build up.
“Group 1s are hard to win, you’ve got to have a lot of things go your way to win them.”
Hope In Your Heart assumed favouritism for the Epsom when Pericles came out shortly after the barrier draw but had drifted to $8.50 with TAB on Thursday.
She resumed with a closing third behind Pericles in the Group 2 Tramway Stakes (1400m) where she clocked 33.40 for her last 600m and a race best 11.26 final 200m (Punter’s Intelligence).
Parker said he couldn’t ask for a better draw for the mare, he has Craig Williams to ride and the blinkers so can only hope things go her way.
“She’s going terrific, I’m happy with where she’s at how and she looks and she will turn up and race well,’’ he said.
“I’d rather some genuine leaders in the race to make sure there is pressure but you’d imagine with a full field it will create pressure.
“She does get the blinkers on so that helps but I won’t be trying to ride her out of her comfort zone.”
The Kembla Grange trainer is happy with his decision to miss the 7 Stakes, won by his stable star Think It Over, two weeks ago and use a trial as Hope In Your Heart’s Epsom lead up.
A Group 1 win would likely see her join Think It Over, who will likely trial on Tuesday, in the $5 million King Charles III Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on Everest Day.
“It’s wonderful for our small stable, we have 18 horses in work and two of them are heading to group races,’’ he said.
“Both of them are very genuine, they give you 110 per cent every time you step up.”
Parker has dual representation in the Midway Handicap (1800m) at Randwick with Jessandi and Single Crown given the chance to chase a $120,000 race.
Jessandi won at Hawkesbury earlier this month before a third placing there last week while Single Crown doesn’t win out of turn but brings successive second placings on his home track into the Midway.
“They are both racing well, they try really hard,’’ he said.
“I think the 1800m suits them both, they get in with light weights and deserve their shots.”
– Racing NSW
