Trainer Kerry Parker is under no illusions about the quality Heartlings will face in Saturday's Provincial Championships Qualifier at Kembla Grange, but believes his mare is ready to fire at her home track.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Parker is aiming to qualify his first runner in this year’s $500,000 final and Heartlings will be his stable’s sole runner in the Kembla heat.
A daughter of Pendragon, she finished close up in fifth in the Wyong qualifier three weeks ago behind overall series favourite Just Dreaming.
Parker has since saved Heartlings for a crack at her home heat as he attempts to qualify his third career runner for the prestigious final.
"She has come back in terrific order,” Parker said.
"She is going really good so fingers crossed she can run up to that run at Wyong.
"I was very happy with that run.
"She drew the bad barrier and had to cover plenty of ground in the run.
"A repeat of that performance on her home track and she will be right there with them at the finish."
Heartlings has drawn barrier 11 for the heat, but will moved closer to the fence after scratchings.
The heat will more than likely be run on a heavy track, with fellow Kembla trainers Mick Tubman, Stephen Hill, Gwenda Markwell as well as Robert and Luke Price all targeting a top-three finish.
The top stable of Kris Lees, who already has three runners qualified for the final, will bring three horses down for what Parker expects to be a hotly-contested heat.
"There is always going to be dangers there is a race like this," he said.
"These Provincial Championships heats are very hard races and are filled with good quality horses.
"The horse that won at Wyong [Just Dreaming] came out and finished within a length in a group one at her next start.
"[Man Of Choice] has group form as a three-year-old as well so there is a lot of quality."
Parker had stablemate Virgilio in the early nominations for the heat, but opted against the one week back up from last Saturday’s Gosford qualifier.
He will instead wait for the Newcastle heat on March 31.
"The bigger track should suit him a little better at Newcastle than it did last start," Parker said.
"He just got beaten for a bit of early speed the other day, but we will give him another crack. It was always the plan to give him three bites of the cherry."
The final will be run on Saturday, April 14 at Randwick.