Hawkesbury preview: An interrupted career is on the right track now and Veravino is poised to claim her first victory

After two close second placings this preparation, trainer Damien Lane looks to have found the right race for Veravino to shed her maiden tag.

Veravino finds herself in a suitable race to break her maiden status at Hawkesbury. Picture: Bradley Photos

Trainer Damien Lane is pleased that well-bred mare Veravino is finally able to get some consistent racing under her belt as she eyes off a deserved first win.

The five-year-old daughter of I Am Invincible has had her career restricted to just eight starts so far with three of them coming this campaign.

Veravino has shown handy ability in placing four times including two close seconds and a fourth in her latest three runs.

Her latest run was a second behind Reasonable at her home track of Wyong on January 26.

“She has had a few little issues along the way unfortunately which has restricted her racing to just the eight starts,” said Lane.

“She has been really good this preparation, touch wood, and I have been happy with all three of her runs.

Veravino finishing second to Reasonable at Wyong on Australia Day. Picture: Bradley Photos

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“Last start, she loomed up to win but the inside horse just kicked back and got her.

“She was five week between runs and I think that was the difference.”

Lane looks to have found an ideal race for Veravino in the XXXX Gold Midway 4YO and Up Maiden Handicap (1100m) with stable apprentice Anna Roper to ride.

“This looks a suitable race for her being a four-year-old and up maiden,” he said.

“In saying that, she raced first-up at Hawkesbury in a race with the same conditions and we bumped into a first-starter of Dynamic Syndications which just beat her.

“I don’t think the wet track will worry her, she is at peak fitness now and I feel she definitely needs that little bit of cushion.

“She should get her chance.”

Pluckten may have beaten just two horses home in his two runs this preparation but Lane warned not to dismiss the gelding in the Richmond Club Benchmark 64 Handicap (1400m) for colts, geldings and entires.

The four-year-old finished seventh of nine behind Llewellyn when resuming at Wyong on December 21 before finish last behind Headley Grange at the same track on January 11.

“He will improve sharply this week with the wet track. There were genuine excuses last start.” Lane said.

“Obviously, it was race he win in at Wyong but also, the track was too firm for him. He just didn’t stretch out on it at all.

“He generally goes well third-up and he is going to get that soft to heavy track which he loves.”

Pluckten takes out the final event at Hawkesbury! pic.twitter.com/AQLMUgGx27

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The son of Pluck’s last win came last preparation when he struck a Heavy 8 over 1500m at Hawkesbury back in July.

After settling back in the field, he came with a strong up the inside of the field in the straight to beat Shadow Express by two-and-a-half lengths.

“He was third-up from a spell that day too,” he said.

While the wet track is a bonus for Pluckten, it will likely see Lane scratch his final entrant for the day in Sneaky Sofia in the last race on the card, the Provincial Benchmark 64 Handicap (1100m).

The three-year-old daughter of Merchant Navy kicked off her campaign with a smart all-the-way win at Port Macquarie but failed to handle the Soft 7 at Rosehill last start when beaten over seven lengths by Polyglot.

was really wet,” he said.

“While we thought she would handle it, she dipped and dived and didn’t go in it so I’m reluctant to run her on another wet track.

“I wasn’t 100 per cent happy with her after her trackwork this week. I will get her bloods done and she how that comes up.

“There are options at Canterbury and Randwick on Friday night and Saturday or we could wait until next week.”

RYAN HOPING DEBUTANT IS ABLE TO SCORE A FIRST-UP WIN

Local horseman Blake Ryan is more hopeful than confident about Able Yellow who is making his debut on his home track.

Ryan’s assessment of Able Yellow isn’t based on the level of the horse’s ability but more his mental immaturity despite being a four-year-old.

“He’s a bit like the elephant who is scared of the mouse in the cartoons,” Ryan said.

“Physically, he is a massive horse. A big, long 17 hand boy but he is still very raw.”

The son of Justify and Group 1 winner Srikandi had was originally in Victoria before joining Ryan’s stable last year and makes his race debut in the 4YO and Up Midway Maiden (1100m).

He had his first trial for Ryan at Hawkesbury on January 20 when handy second behind Flying Harry after racing behind the leader and being kept under a hold.

He then went to a Kembla heat 10 days later where he sat three-wide without cover and held out the closing Lady Yarrow.

Trainer Blake Ryan is hoping Able Yellow can kick off his career on the right note at Hawkesbury. Picture: Grant Guy

“I trialled him both times in headgear (blinkers) to help him and his still were still going everywhere,” he said.

“At Kembla the other week, James (Innes Jnr) said that on the corner, he was bolting and he though he was going to win by five lengths but got a head off the leader and pricked his ears. It wasn’t until the other horse come at him that he found again.

“He said he has got the body of the Hulk but the brain of a yearling.

“He feels like a seven furlong (1400m) horse to me and whatever he does on debut, he will improve on but this race jumped out at me as a nice place to start.

“He’s still lacking that mental maturity but he does have ability and I expect him to be very competitive.”

Ryan’s other runner is Sassy Ausbred who makes her debut in the 2 and 3YO Maiden Plate (1000m).

The three-year-old has placed runner-up in both her trials, the latest a head second to Bobs Pick at Kembla on January 30.

“She is also still quite raw but I feel starting her off on her home track will be beneficial for her,” Ryan said.

“While she isn’t very big, she is stocky and has a bit of grit about her. She has a go.

“I was happy with her trials and while this race might be a bit out of her grasp, there is a maiden win in her.