Paddy’s hopes for Loves

THE old racing saying goes that “weight can stop a train” but Paddy Cunningham is upbeat it won’t stop Love Me Baby posting consecutive victories at Grafton today.

The Glen Innes trainer concedes the former John Sargent-trained mare is weighted up to her best with 62.5kg in today’s Benchmark 65 Handicap (1000m) but her first-up victory for the stable was so impressive not even a big impost may stop her.

Love Me Baby eased down by two lengths in Class 3 company first-up at this track with 58kg and should get a nice run on speed again today.

“She is weighted up pretty well but she won well first-up and I think she will carry the weight, but you never know until you try it,” Cunningham said.

“I think she will (carry it) at the 1000m though or otherwise we will have to go with an apprentice.”

Cunningham concedes he was surprised at just how impressive Love Me Baby was first-up for his stable.

“I didn’t really ask her to do a lot of hard work before her first-up run and she won a bit better than I thought she would,” he said.

“She will just go forward (again) and she has plenty of natural speed. If she doesn’t lead she should be able to sit outside the leader.”

Cunningham rated Love Me Baby the pick of his runners today but also made a good case for Love Time in the Maiden Plate (1400m).

Love Time caught the eye when flashing home to run third over 1100m at Grafton first-up and Cunningham is confident the extra distance won’t faze her today.

“She put in a pretty good run first-up and she is one of those horses that gets back in her races and she just needs a bit of luck,” he said.