A heavy track had trainer Kerry Parker contemplating scratching in-form mare Justela but class shines through at Rosehill

Trainer Kerry Parker gave Justela her chance on a heavy track at Rosehill and she didn’t let him down with a strong win from stablemate Mah Ali.

Justela (left) beats her stablemate Mah Ali (right) in the Midway at Rosehill. Picture: Getty Images

Trainer Kerry Parker nearly scratched Justela before his in-form mare led home a rare city stable quinella at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

As consistent rain continued to see the track deteriorate in Sydney, Parker contemplated pulling the pin on running Justela in the Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1500m).

She had run a track record on fast and firm ground to win last start at Kembla Grange but was faced with a vastly different scenario in her latest assignment.

• PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet’s team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW!

The Odyssey Moon mare’s class help propel her through the tough conditions as she held off stablemate Mah Ali to score consecutive Midway wins.

“I was very concerned with Justela in the heavy,” Parker said.

“She hasn’t been at her best in the heavy tracks. I pulled up in the car park and made a couple of phone calls and said ‘if this gets really bad, I am contemplating whether we go round or not’.

“It was only because it was the second race, usually when she runs on heavy tracks it’s late in the day and the track has been chopped up.

“I said to Jay (Ford) she is coming in today confident and she was able to find some footing to get the job done.”

Ford was able to have Justela ($6.50) perfectly poised in a midfield spot on off the fence.

The six-year-old made her run down the middle of the track with Mah Ali ($7.50) hot on her heels but Justela held her to a long-neck margin.

The Theresa Bateup-trained Direct Fire ($6.50) was three-quarters of a length away in third to maintain his consistent form.

It's a @kjparkerracing quinella in the Midway at Rosehill. Justela handles the ground best to beat stablemate Mah Ali. pic.twitter.com/LXTsfoOCi2

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) December 7, 2024

• Unbeaten sprinter bound for new Gold Coast slot race

“She (Justela) is full of confidence this prep,” Ford said.

“Her three runs back have been good runs, each and every one of them.”

Parker was rapt with the run of runner-up Mah Ali and expects a Midway victory isn’t far away for his daughter of More Than Ready.

“I thought it might have been advantage Mah Ali when the wet came so to see them both run well is pleasing,” Parker said.

“Mah Ali has one of these Midways in her. This is a good starting point and she has been consistent this campaign, racing really well.”

The rain continued to come down following the Midway with the track downgraded to a Heavy 10 following the running of the TAB Highway Handicap (1500m).

The Keith Dryden-trained Sunchyme thrived in the conditions when she scored a comfortable all the way win in the country event.

A quick getaway helped jockey Tommy Berry take bad luck out of the equation from the start despite an awkward draw.

Berry, who was cleared to ride during the week after having scans on a facial injury, went straight to the front and was able to dictate from there.

The Keith Dryden-trained Sunchyme kept bobbing in front under the urgings of @TommyBerry21 and scores a breakthrough win for the preparation after some narrow defeats 👏 pic.twitter.com/HcFMfMS2iY

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) December 7, 2024

• Dazzling debut win plants Blue Diamond seed

Sunchyme ($12) relished the leading role and never really looked like getting beat as she raced away for a clear one and three-quarter-length win from the Paul Messara and Leah Gavranich-trained In Summer ($4.60).

Donna Scott’s Villasaurus ($4.40) finished one and three-quarter lengths back in third.

“She won the race at the start today,” Berry said.

“She was able to get across from an awkward alley very comfortably and got a couple of cheap sectionals.

“She sustained it all the way down the straight so it was good.

“I really asked her to go from the top of the straight because we got those easy sectionals and nothing is going to make up a heap of ground on this sort of track.”

Sunchyme had been working towards a Highway breakthrough having placed twice in similar races earlier this preparation.

The daughter of Zoustar was the runner-up when Dryden trained the quinella of the Highway at Kembla Grange, claiming the race with Everido.

Everido wasn’t far away again on Saturday, narrowly missing the placings after losing out in a tight finish with Villasaurus.

Originally published as A heavy track had trainer Kerry Parker contemplating scratching in-form mare Justela but class shines through at Rosehill