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By Ray Hickson

Hellenism was meant to be tackling the Newhaven Park Country Championships as an emerging four-year-old with it all ahead of her.

Trainer Aiden St Vincent (Pic: Steve Hart)

That was in 2020. A foot problem got the better of her on the eve of the race that year, 12 months later she was in the paddock nursing a knee issue.

It might sound silly to say but trainer Aiden St Vincent could easily feel it was all a blessing in disguise as he’s going to present a fully mature mare at Grafton in Saturday’s $150,000 Newhaven Park Northern Rivers Country Championships (1400m).

“It could be to her advantage that she’s bigger and stronger now as a six-year-old mare,’’ St Vincent said.

“When I took her to the trials at Newcastle a couple of people that have seen her before, when I’ve taken her down for Highways, were blown away that she’s bigger now.

“She’s a horse that’s got situations, it’s hard to keep her up for a long time. We’ve learned a lot about her along the way to maintain her.”

The transfer from St Vincent’s home ground Coffs Harbour to Grafton is a plus for Hellenism, the trainer said, as she won’t have to deal with trying ground first-up and with an ideal barrier he feels she should be afforded every chance.

He took her to Grafton for a grass track gallop on Tuesday and that work was proof enough to him that the mare will produce her best.

“I’m very happy with her. The final piece of work on Tuesday morning at Grafton was nice and sharp and up to the mark,’’ he said.

“It was only light but I let her have a good blowout over the last furlong and I liked the way she extended underneath me.

“It’s as good as I can produce her, 1400m first-up is going to be a query but I don’t think she’s lost it.”

She’s only started twice over the 1400m and they were both early in her career under Brett Dodson’s care, winning a maiden and running second in a Class 1 in 2019.

After winning a TAB Highway at Rosehill in July, St Vincent backed her up in the Listed Ramornie Handicap and when she finished a close sixth decided to see if she could gain a start in The Kosciuszko instead of stepping up in trip.

“Personally I thought we needed to get her over 1400m last preparation,’’ he said.

“The 1200m trial at Newcastle was very solid against horses that went to Sydney Saturday grade.

Hellenism runs second in a trial at Newcastle on January 24

“She wasn’t fit going into that and had a set of heavy shoes on so there was plenty of benefit out of it. She had a very good blow but she had a trip away so all that was nearly like a race start for her.”

In an ideal world St Vincent would like to see Brooke Stower park Hellenism in the first six of the 14 horse field. She drew barrier eight and would start in six if emergencies aren’t required.

“She’s a box seat sort of horse if you draw a gate,’’ he said.

“That’s the biggest thing. Just get her into a rhythm where she’s happy. Unless the tempo is really good I imagine she’s not far off them.”

Hellenism is on the $51 line with TAB for the $500,000 Newhaven Park Country Championships Final (1400m) at Royal Randwick on April 2. The first two at Grafton will earn their place in the final.

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Country Championships meeting at Grafton