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By Ray Hickson

It’s never easy to turn around a poor first-up performance when the second-up target carries as much importance as Sunday’s $60,000 Community Bank Narrandera Cup (1600m) but apprentice Jake Barrett hopes Belleistic Kids can do just that.

Apprentice Jake Barrett . (Pic: Janian McMillian).

The gelding has to stage a form reversal after finishing 16 lengths from the winner in his return at Randwick two weeks ago but Barrett says there were excuses for the below par performance.

With seconds in the Snake Gully Cup and Mudgee Cup last preparation, Belleistic Kids is already Big Dance eligible though unlikely to make the field for the $3 million race due to the ballot prioritising winners.

But the Narrandera race is another opportunity for the Barbara Joseph, Paul and Matt Jones trained four-year-old to upgrade from the Little Dance to the Big Dance.

“We had to look at it as a barrier trial, that’s how we had to take it,’’ Barrett said of the first-up run.

“He didn’t show up so we just draw a line through it and start the preparation again.

“I think it was a mixture of things, first-up over 1400m on a genuine heavy track and the wide barrier. He usually shows a lot more turn of foot.

“His work at home has been exceptional since, he’s started to come out in the coat and looks bigger and stronger so I’m hoping for an improved performance.”

Belleistic Kids, $19 with TAB on Saturday, is one of three runners for the Joseph Jones team in the Narrandera Cup with One Aye and Manderboss also taking their place.

Barrett, whose first city win was on Belleistic Kids back in December, said if the gelding does jump well he’d like to be a lot more positive even though he has shown some versatility in the past.

“We’ll try to utilise his early speed, hopefully he shows up, there is going to be some speed in the race so we’ll have to sum it up pretty quickly,’’ he said.

“He’s quite funny, you can ride him cold or put him on the speed and he always seems to adapt and work on the fly which really impresses me about him.

“But we all agree he’s a better horse ridden up on the speed and that’s what we’re going to do. With the 54kg on his back if he shows up he’ll be in the finish.”

Madenyo makes her debut for the Joseph Jones stable in the Narrandera Bakery Handicap (1400m) and it wouldn’t shock Barrett if she gave some cheek.

Formerly trained by Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman, the filly enjoyed a fruitful preparation over the summer but her two runs in May were well below par.

Belleistic Kids wins at Randwick in December

“I’ve worked her a few times, she’s a lovely big mare and she will really appreciate the 1400m,’’ Barrett said.

“She’s from the Peter Moody yard, she won her maiden over 1700m by getting out in front and keeping on running.

“From that draw I think if she begins well we’ll have her in the first two or three and use her big stride length and hopefully we can run them into the ground.”

All the fields, form and replays for Sunday’s Narrandera meeting