Ascot Park trainer Robert Dennis is set to line-up eight horses at his home meeting on Sunday and is hopeful of taking home several winning cheques.
Six-year-old mare Hasstobeyou will drop back in class when she contests the Editor’s Cut Sports Bar Handicap (1200m), having finished last in the Gr.3 South Island Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) at Riccarton a fortnight ago.
She had been in good form prior to that run, winning one and runner-up in two of her last three starts, and Dennis said she wasn’t genuine to the line in her Christchurch outing.
“She was probably not entirely genuine when she got headed, she just threw the towel a bit. It wasn’t a really hard run and she looks to have bounced through it well,” he said.
“It is a drop back in class and a drop back in distance as well (on Sunday). It is a small field and it is worth a crack with a nice, light weight (51kg). Kendra (Bakker, apprentice jockey) rode her once before at Invercargill and ran second, so she knows the horse and I am looking forward to having her back on.”
Dennis is also upbeat about the chances of in-form mare Sacred Dream, who takes a win and two placings into the Waikiwi Tavern & The Foundry Restaurant Handicap (2200m).
“She is going well,” Dennis said. “Once she stepped up to a staying trip she has really come into her own. I would expect more of the same for her on Sunday.”
Dennis has received plenty of support from North Island stud farms since his brief stint in the North Island last year and will showcase that backing in the ILT Centepoint & Southcity Liquorland Maiden (1400m) where he will line-up Glitzal for Cambridge Stud and Missoni for Waikato Stud.
“Glitzal was disappointing on Saturday at Riverton,” Dennis said. “Sam (Wynne, jockey) said she didn’t handle the track and she got a check in the final stage of the race, but she looks to have bounced through it well. From a wider draw (8), if she can put her best foot forward she should be right there in the finish.
“It was a big improvement last start from Missoni to run second on a heavy track, which she did cop. The track is going to be better this Sunday. It is the same distance on a tighter turning track, I am just hoping that the improved performance has woken her up and she is starting to figure it out a bit now and putting it all together. She is going to need to be a bit sharper around Invercargill over 1400m to be in the finish, but she very well may be.”
Dennis said he is enjoying the support from his northern clients.
“Windsor Park have got a horse here as well and quite a few North Island owners do,” he said. “We had a couple of winners for Markwood Lodge on Monday. We all need support like that and we are only as good as the horses we have got to train.”
Dennis is also looking forward to resuming The Princie One in The Ave Sports Bar Maiden (1200m).
The three-year-old daughter of Savabeel had three starts as a juvenile, for two placings and a fourth in the Listed Champagne Stakes (1600m). It’s been nearly a year since that last start, with her return to racing being hindered by a barrier incident at the start of the year.
“She had a mishap in the barriers on New Year’s Day at Riverton,” Dennis said. “I had her back at the jumpouts last week and she won her heat pretty comfortably and had no incident in the barrier. All is positive.
“She will get some weight relief with Donovan Cooper (apprentice jockey), and we would expect to see her pretty prominent in the running and fighting out the finish.
“There is no doubt that she has got ability and if she can front up like we expect her to, there may be bigger things on her horizon in the coming 12 to 18 months.”
In the following race, the Ascot Sports Bar Handicap (1200m), Dennis will have a two-pronged attack courtesy of Helly Belly and Medina.
“Helly Belly won a jumpout last week. The horses that finished second, third and fourth all won at Riverton, so that is very encouraging,” Dennis said. “I know she has never raced over 1200m before but she is looking pretty sharp.
“Medina unfortunately lunged at the gates before they opened at Riverton and that meant she was slow away, but came with a massive finish for sixth. If she gets out of the gates and is in a prominent position, she should be right there in the finish too.”
Dennis’ representation on Sunday will be rounded out by The Royal Diva in the Northern Sports Bar & TAB Handicap (1600m).
“The Royal Diva has had a brief let-up and has come back in looking well,” Dennis said. “She has got weight relief too so she will look to push forward and be handy. The cut out of the track is only going to help her as we get into the wetter months."