Loveable Lucy a top chance
RACING: With a career record to envy and a never-saydie attitude, it’s not hard to understand why Barry Squair has a soft spot for Love You Lucy.
The star of the stable has tasted success in seven of her 17 outings to date, with her will to race on full show a fortnight ago at the Gold Coast.
The mare made light work of a wide barrier, pushing forward into a forward spot and getting her head down right on the post to take out the Listed Silk Stocking (1200m).
It marked the first blacktype success for the fouryear-old, something Squair said looked good next to her name.
“Bloody oath it was deserved,” Squair said.
“The day she won at Ipswich (October 24) I thought she had something pretty special.
“She started from the outside, got well back and by the time they turned she was breathing down their necks. She won with plenty of authority.”
Love You Lucy had been running well without winning prior to her success at the Gold Coast, including seconds by a head and nose.
Her trainer said she has been working well in the leadup to tomorrow’s $125,000 Listen Helen Coughlan Stakes (1350m) as she prepares to lift another level.
“All her runs this time in have been good,” he said.
“There’s a couple of new ones in the field from Sydney. I didn’t think they would jump her rating from 83 to 94 (after last start). I don’t think she should’ve gone up that quickly, but we’ll be down there to have a crack at them.
“She’s trained up a treat and raced really well at her last start at Doomben.”
Kevin Kemp is hoping juvenile Winter Rain can mix it with some quality fillies in the Listed Bill Carter Stakes (1110m).
The two-year-old has finished in the minor placings at both career starts at Ipswich and the Sunshine Coast.
He also has last-start winner Flying Eddie engaged earlier in the day.
Ready Babe has been thrown in the deep end by trainer Mark Currie, coming up against a stellar field in the Group 3 Fred Best Classic (1350m).
The filly isn’t a stranger to black-type racing, coming from a clear last in the Listed Gold Coast Guineas a fortnight ago to flash home into fifth.
Currie also has Publishing Power set to run in the Hinkler Handicap (1110m).
Supersonic Boom (Rex Lipp) and Loveson (Thomas Lunney) begin the program in the Benchmark 72 Handicap (1050m), while Manias (Lindsay Hatch) and Barefoot (Tony and Maddysen Sears) line up in the Benchmark 90 Handicap (1600m).
Team Sears will also saddle up Dazzling Red in the Class 6 Handicap (1200m), along with Kemp’s Tisani Magic.