By Ray Hickson
If history is any indication of the result of the $1 million Group 3 Illawarra Mercury Gong (1600m), then jockey Josh Parr says he has every reason to be confident about the in-form mare Lekvarte.
Josh Parr (Image: Bradley Photos)
Four of the five winners of the Kembla Grange Feature Mile were won by horses that completed their run in the middle of the course and Parr is hoping Saturday's renewal will turn out that way.
The Joe Pride-trained mare lacks a little in tactical speed, but Parr said she more than makes up for it when she's allowed to move her feet.
“There's a lot of money and a huge field and that creates pressure and speed and that would be an indication of why most years are won by horses that aren't swift enough and in the middle,” Parr said.
“If it's like that again, we'll have our chance; a tactical race wouldn't suit us, of course.
“She has this racing style where she has to be a little fresh, where she can show her good moves.
“The fact that she has still only done effortless racing this preparation gives her the opportunity to do her best.”
Lekvarte, who won TAB $8 on Wednesday, celebrated her third success at Group 3 level when she stormed home last to win the Angst Stakes (1600m) on Everest Day, deputizing for eventual winner Hinged .
Parr, fresh from a Group 1 success in Fresh Zealand last weekend, said he was delighted with her performance in her three rounds this spring and her recent start sixth in the Group 1 Empire Rose at Flemington was a lot of merit .
In this race she finished ahead of last week's Group 1 winner Kimochi.
“I think she did as well at Flemington as she did at Randwick when she won the Fear,” Parr said.
“The foot movement of these Group 1 mares was probably a little too acute for them.
“She accelerated really well and was mighty through the finish line, but the gap they gave us from 300m to 200m was too huge to make up.”
Five of Lekvarte's nine career victories have come over 1600m, only riding once at Kembla Grange to secure third place in just her third race start.
It will be Parr's fourth ride in the Gong, his previous best finish being a fourth on Fresh Mandate last year.
Meanwhile, Parr wouldn't be surprised to see Fleet Commander manage a drop in distance in the PFD Food Services Handicap (2000m).
The blue-blooded six-year-old, by Galileo out of superstar Atlantic Jewel, has won two of his last four starts, both for Parr, and was not disgraced after leading behind Kadavar over 2400m at Rosehill two weeks ago and boxing into fourth place.
“There are no tricks with him, what you see is what you get,” Parr said.
Lekvarte wins at Randwick on October 19th
“He is a speed horse, a pacer who likes to challenge, so he is an effortless horse to ride in that respect.
“I don’t mind going back to the 2,000m because he’s had a trip where he got tough and fit, so a mighty 2,000m is definitely within his abilities.”
Josh Parr on Disneck (Race 2/10): “It was a really good run to be first. I thought he would be at the back of the pack in the 1000m and do his best work slow. He surprised me, he left the barriers faster than anything else in the race, then we didn't have the typical 1000m speed to run forward. We were in a complex situation and the winner followed us the whole time.”
All fields, forms and replays for Saturday's Kembla Grange meeting
