Hope In Your Heart has capped a memorable week for trainer Kerry Parker, outgunning odds-on favourite Frumos to land her third career win at Rosehill.
It came just two days after Parker’s stable star Think It Over, who is currently on a rehabilitation program for a tendon injury that has ruled him out of the spring, was crowned NSW middle-distance and provincial Horse of the Year at the NSW Racing Night Of Champions awards ceremony.
An upbeat Parker was thrilled to see Hope In Your Heart get another victory on the board after some competitive efforts in the better three-year-old fillies’ races during the autumn, including a close sixth to Hinged in the Group 1 Surround Stakes (1400m) and second to Pretty Amazing in the Kembla Grange Classic (1600m).
“She was only a light little filly and she strengthened really good with a spell,” Parker said.
“She showed good determination, as the favourite loomed up outside her and she really dug in and drew away at the end.”
Ridden quietly by Tim Clark, Hope In Your Heart ($7.50) made her run with Frumos ($1.60 fav) and pulled out plenty when the favourite laid down the gauntlet, edging away late to take out The Agency Real Estate Handicap (1500m) by a half-length.
Air To Air ($7) did best of the rest, another couple of lengths behind that pair.
While Hope In Your Heart got to the ATC Australian Oaks (2400m) last campaign, Parker said he would keep her to middle distances for now and take his time picking some targets through the spring.
“At this stage, I’m happy to keep her around this middle distance and I think until she tells me she’s looking for something up (in distance), there are plenty of options around that,” he said.
“I’m not in a hurry to get to anything. It’s a long spring and there are plenty of options there if you can take your time.”
Waller was happy with the effort of Frumos, who only made her debut in June and is now likely to be given a short break.
“She has had five runs in her first preparation, so we will give her a freshen-up now,” Waller said.