Rich feature harness racing events for mares in December are on the agenda for outstanding five-year-old The Parade, who will resume after a spell when she contests the Gate Bar and Bistro Leading Metropolitan Trainer Gary Hall sen. at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Boyanup trainer Justin Prentice had little hesitation in opting to drive The Parade from the outside barrier No. 8 in a field of eight over 2130m in preference to smart stablemate Where Dreams Grow, who gave a superb performance last Friday night when she set a brisk pace and scored an effortless victory over Mistress Bliss and Millwood Faith.
Where Dreams Grow rated 1.54.7 after dashing over the final three quarters in 29.3sec., 27.5sec. and 28.1sec.
“The Parade is working very well and I’m really happy with her,” Prentice said.
“It’s not going to be easy, but she is ready to run a good race, first-up.
If My Samantha Janes (barrier two) finds the front, she’s a hard horse to get over. And you’ve also got to worry about Am Opulent and Indomitable.
“Where Dreams Grow went super last week, but she just needs to learn to be a racehorse.
Probably her manners have let her down more than anything. Brayden Green will drive her. He drives her every single day at home and he knows her better than I do.”
My Samantha Jane, trained at Hazelmere by Mike Reed, looks to be a great chance from her ideal draw at No. 2.
A winner at 12 of her 44 starts, including eight wins as a four-year-old last season, she has a great chance to end a losing sequence of seven.
Millwood Faith (barrier three) also has claims. She rattled home from the rear when an eye-catching third behind Where Dreams Grow last week.
Stablemate Am Opulent is drawn wide at No. 6, but she possesses sparling early speed and it would come as no surprise if she is driven hard out of the gate in a bold bid for the early lead.
Prentice said that the main aim for The Parade would be the $45,000 Norms Daughter Classic at Gloucester Park on December 4 and the $120,000 Mares Classic nine days later.
Ken Casellas