Warwick Farm preview: Apprentice Chelsea Hillier can repay new boss Tracey Bartley with a city win on bonny mare Mabel

Newly relocated apprentice Chelsea Hillier can announce herself on the city of provincial stage with a win on Mabel for her new boss, Tracey Bartley.

Mabel is looking for a first-up win at Warwick Farm. Picture: Grant Guy

Talented apprentice Chelsea Hillier is looking to kick start the latest chapter of her riding career when she partners Mabel for new boss Tracey Bartley.

Hillier had been under the guidance of Rod Northam where she outrode her country claim and has spent the past few month travelling between the Scone and the Wyong stables of Bartley.

Now based on The Central Coast, she is looking to build her profile at the provincials and in the city.

“Chelsea is apprenticed to me now so it would be good to kick off with her,” said Bartley.

“I’m not saying she is going to be riding in town a lot just yet, she needs to ride 80 winners at the provincials first.

“She has only been here full-time for a fortnight but she had been coming down from Scone each week for the past few months.

Mabel right down the outside fence! 😱@TBartleyracingpic.twitter.com/H1h4cnVyJ0

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) November 25, 2023

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“We didn’t want to leave Rod without a rider until he got someone else to help him out so that why she was travelling back and forth.

“We have an exerciser here now and she hoped on the other day and she is a very strong rider.

“She has three kilos in the provincials and three kilos in the city so she should lap it up.

“If she could win on Mabel though, it’s a good opportunity to show herself off to other trainers.”

Hillier rode Mabel at Randwick back in July when fifth behind by Shezanalister.

The pair was beaten just over a length and should have finished closer after being held up until passing the 200m.

Mabel then finished fifth behind Compelling Truth in the Sir James Kirby at Grafton on July 18 with Alysha Collett aboard.

She resumes in the Benchmark 72 Handicap (1000m) where she has drawn wide but Bartley has identified out two important points that bring her right into contention.

“She gets two kilos off being a mare plus another three kilos off with the claim. She is a 77 rater in a 72 race with 58.5kg,” he said.

“Hopefully she can be midfield with a bit of cover and try and cut the corner to save a bit of ground then look for the best run from there.

A mid race move from @Mitchwbell26 sees Lady Superspy hang on for @TBartleyracing! pic.twitter.com/J7wTvrFo3m

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) November 21, 2023

“She looks amazing and is ready to rock ’n’ roll. She is way over the odds at $14.”

Godolphin gelding, Pisanello is the favourite at $2.50 ahead of Another Cognac at $5.

Bartley’s other runner is Lady Superspy in the Benchmark 72 (1600m) where she is the third emergency so needs a couple of scratchings but got a step closer with the withdrawal of County Kilkenny on Tuesday afternoon.

The seven-year-old mare scored a smart win second-up at Kembla before a nose second at Wyong on September 6 but was a month between runs when third behind Mountain Top at Warwick Farm on October 7.

“She had an accident in the stable and was over a month between runs. I said to Jason (Collett) that she was probably just short of a run and this would top her off,” Bartley said.

“Her run probably come to an end about 50 or 75 metres out. I feel she had a couple of lengths improvement up her sleeve.

“There was nothing wrong with her run the other day and Poppin’ Champagne who ran fifth, came out and finished fourth in the Angst Stakes last Saturday.

“She is bang on now and she will be savaging the line this week.”

Bartley thought Lady Superspy was also over the odds at $13 behind Ambassadorial ($3.50 fav), Anderson Bridge ($4.60) and Interjection ($5.50).

RAPBIDASH PRIMED TO RETURN TO WINNING FORM

Trainer Lyle Chandler knew his handy mare Rapbidash had her work cut out for her first-up on the Kensington but he couldn’t fault her effort and gives her a good chance of causing a minor upset this week.

The lightly-raced Rapbidash settled last in a moderately run race and made ground down the outside in the last 300m to finish fourth behind Hello World over 1300m.

“I thought she was excellent first-up,” said Chandler.

“I knew we would be in trouble when I was watching the meeting and I could see the way the track bias was playing.

“It was the first start for the preparation and I didn’t want to try and ride her out of her comfort zone. We just took our medicine and stuck to the plan.

“She was very good late in that race.”

Hello, win! 👋

🌏 A strong win to Hello World at Randwick - Kensington today!@clarkyhk | @HawkesRacingpic.twitter.com/uef8sKPg7L

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 9, 2024

Chandler knew there was improvement to come from the daughter of Supido and he has seen in her work.

He is confident she heads into the Benchmark 72 Handicap (1300m) cheery ripe.

“I thinks she will be very competitive this week,” he said.

“She has done really well since that run and I thought there would be a bit of improvement to come fitness-wise. I think she has made that improvement.

“Going into that run, there was quite a bit of wet weather which made it a little bit hard to work and those two trials she had were quite soft trials.

“With that run under her belt, she will be much better.

“Also, the slightly bigger field may just create a bit more pressure which will help. If we can get a relatively fair track and horses get their chance from anywhere, I expect her to be right in the finish.

“If she runs as expected this week, we will look at the Barn Dance on Big Dance Day.”

Chandler was extremely happy with the second placings of Mazita in the Highway at Rosehill on October 12 and hopes he can go one better at Randwick on Saturday.

The five-year-old was held-up near the 300m before Rachel King got him through a narrow gap and close strongly to finish a three-quarter length second to Who Ever Thought.

“Zac Lloyd is going to ride him in the Highway at Randwick on Saturday,” Chandler said.

“He has shown he is capable of winning a Highway, he just needs to get the right run.”