Two years ago, Parker ran third with Think It Over in the second ever running of the feature 1600m race, at $41.

Think It Over would go on to win the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, when jockey Nash Rawiller famously rode to the Randwick grandstand rail to beat Zaaki in a thrilling finish, again, at $41.

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So on the big stages, Parker, as a Provincial trainer, is accustomed to being underestimated.

Parker now takes Hope In Your Heart into the region's richest race after a brilliant fourth in the Golden Eagle last start, which came on the back of three straight victories, two of them at Group 3 level.

Hope In Your Heart produced a career-best run in the Golden Eagle, finishing fourth behind Peter Moody's I Wish I WIn, Chris Waller's Fangirl and the David Van Dyke-trained Gypsy Goddess, after jumping at $51.

"She ran out of her skin," Parker said.

"That's probably the only concern, you've got to peak again, no doubt it was a peak run and you've got to back it up. But if she runs up to that, she'll be in the finish."

Any thoughts of her being flat on Saturday are pushed aside by the way Hope In Your Heart recovered and has been working in the lead-up.

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In a way, the Golden Eagle was the bonus, before The Gong is the grand final.

Parker had worked his way through her grades, winning a Benchmark 78 at Rosehill, Tibbie Stakes at Newcastle and Angst Stakes at Randwick.

Then she was exposed the elite four-year-olds on the big Golden Eagle stage.

But The Gong was always the target race.

"All signs are good," Parker said.

"This was always a target to aim towards this at the end of the prep and we're really happy with her going in."

Parker praised the work of strapper Tayla Hubbard, who has helped settle the precocious and at times hot-headed mare into a racehorse with class.

"She rides her every day, she's still here now after everyone has finished for the morning," Parker told the Mercury on Wednesday.

"Tayla has gotten to know her, takes her own time for a pick (of grass), gives her plenty of attention and that little bit of extra love.

"It's helped her turn the corner, very much so.

"She used to be a bit of a handful and she can still be a bit hot in the yard as we've seen this preparation, but she's definitely grown into the talented horse she is."

The Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Old Flame is a $6 favourite with Bet365, with Hope In Your Heart at $8 and the Joe Pride-trained Brutality and Kris Lees' Big Dance winner Rustic Steel at $8.50 and the Gai Waterhouse-Adrian Bott entrant Riodini at $10.

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Jockey Brock Ryan produced a stunning ride from barrier 13 on Count De Rupee and now Jason Collett will have to deliver similar on Hope In Your Heart after drawing 15, which could come into 12 depending on scratchings, with three emergencies drawn inside.

"If you're going to draw wide, the mile at Kembla is probably the place to do it," Parker said.

"It's a good run of 400m to find a spot, just like the back straight at Randwick.

"So we'll have plenty of time to build into the race."

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