More the merrier for trainer Gillian Heinrich as Star Justice meets bigger field

CO-TRAINER Gillian Heinrich says Star Justice should have won his last start and she is hopeful a bigger field on the Gold Coast today will pave the way for the first win of his preparation.

Trainer Gillian Heinrich. Photo: Glenn Hampson.

CO-TRAINER Gillian Heinrich says Star Justice should have won his last start and she is hopeful a bigger field on the Gold Coast today will pave the way for the first win of his preparation.

Premier Gold Coast jockey Daniel Griffin will ride Star Justice in the Yellowglen Handicap (1200m) on the back of a third placing in a four-horse field on February 25.

Heinrich said the result wasn’t an indication of the four-year-old gelding’s ability with the natural race leader undone by the limited number of horses in the race.

“I was disappointed with his last run because as soon as I saw the four-horse field I knew we were in trouble,” she said.

“I thought by his work that he should have won his last start but when you see how the race is run you can’t blame the horse for that. It was the worst- case scenario.

“He likes to lead and when you only have four horses they all want to lead and they raced three abreast the whole way.

“I like Star Justice and his runs have been really good this prep.”

Heinrich and training partner Ben Rodgers also have Overstatement, Romnichal and Moment of Impact ­engaged at the Gold Coast meeting today.

Overstatement will have her first start since February last year and Heinrich is hopeful the five-year-old mare has overcome the tying-up problems that plagued her last preparation.

The condition, that mainly affects fillies, restricts the horses muscles and results in a shortened stride.

“She did a few muscles in her back and had a few niggly problems so she had a bit of a break,” Heinrich said.

“I just wasn’t happy with her at all last prep ... everything just seemed to be wrong.”

But Heinrich said a change in training looks to have ironed out the problem as she looks to give Overstatement the race fitness she needs.

“We don’t trot her at all anymore,” Heinrich said.

“She just canters straight off in all the work.

“I don’t think she can win first-up but we gave her a nice and soft trial and we were pretty pleased with that.

“She is a lot bigger mare this time in so she might be looking for the run.

“I’ll be really happy if she runs just a nice race.”