3 minute read
Sound soft track mare Lionhearted Girl looks hard to catch in today's Sportofkings.com.au Handicap (race 3) at Muswellbrook.
The mare contests today's 1280m Benchmark 65 which is a heat of the Rising Stars series where she will be ridden by Belinda Hodder.
Prepared at Port Macquarie by Marc Quinn, Lionhearted Girl has won four races in her career but three of those have been in soft ground and in those conditions today looks hard to run down.
Last campaign the mare took a run to warm up before finishing runner up twice.
She then broke through over 1316m in slow ground at Coffs Harbour when leading throughout from a wide gate.
Next start was in heavy ground over 1370m and she sat second there before clearing out with a four length win.
At her last run before a spell, over 1400m at Grafton during their carnival, she tackled a Benchmark 70 on firm ground and after sitting third didn't go on in the straight, fading to eighth and heading straight for a spell.
This campaign she resumed at home in a Benchmark 60 over 1200m on good ground where she raced up to second and was there throughout before fading to finish fourth.
She will be fitter for the run and after the 2kg claim for Rodder drops 2.5kg for today's race.
The small field suits, and in soft ground she looks well placed.
She won her only try on a slow track and on heavy ground has raced eight times for two wins and four minors.
Ideal Position is racing well and looks the biggest danger.
The Mudgee trained gelding resumed with a solid third at Coonabarrabran then stepped up to 1400m at Warren and after sitting off the pace hit the line hard to finish a narrow second.
Last start, over 1300m at Dubbo, he drew wide and settled well back, spotting a big start before running on strongly to score a most impressive win.
He will be at his top now and is suited by the big track where he can wind up in the straight.
His only try on soft ground was a heavy track sixth on debut but he was green that day and is worth forgiving that run.
With his light weight today he looks hard to hold out.
Yahiguru was disappointing at Scone last time but rates well on his previous run which was here in tougher grade.
In a Benchmark 70 he ran a 2.2 length fourth before getting back at Scone and finishing well back.
He is worth another chance today and has solid soft track form.
Beauticianhurri has been a model of consistency lately and should run a forward race.
She rates highly for this and has good form here but her one query is the soft ground.