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By Ray Hickson

Trainer Kerry Parker is confident lightly raced four-year-old Well Timed can build on his breakthrough preparation from the autumn when he returns in Saturday’s Midway Handicap (1100m) at Randwick.

Trainer Kerry Parker (Pic: Steve Hart)

While Parker can only wonder what might have been with Well Timed’s late bid to force his way into the Provincial-Midway Championships Final, he says the gelding has developed in his break and would like to think the only way is up.

After wins at Nowra and Hawkesbury to start his last preparation, Parker threw Well Timed into a Championships heat at Kembla and he measured up by running a game third behind Ruby Flyer.

Unfortunately for connections when he travelled to Newcastle to attempt to qualify through the Wild Card he was scratched at the barriers and missed his chance.

Parker said the signs are positive that Well Timed has returned a better horse and looks forward to seeing where he ends up this spring.

“You try and build your benchmark up and hopefully we can get into something worthwhile, it’s a long spring so if you keep pushing that benchmark up you can step up in grade,’’ Parker said.

“If anything he’s come back a bit longer, as he’s developing he’s getting a bit longer in the back so that’s suggesting he may get over a trip.

“There’s no doubt he’ll run the 1400m, he did that at Kembla."

Nash Rawiller has his first race ride on Well Timed, $4 with TAB on Friday, in the Midway and Parker said that will tell him a lot about his prospects.

“It looks a nice starting point for him. The only thing is I’d nominated him for a couple of trials at Warwick Farm and he’s ended up on the polytrack so he’s only had those trials. But all in all I’m happy with him,'' he said.

“He’s taken a while to develop and get there and I’m hoping this is his preparation.

“He’s drawn a nice gate, that’s all fine, we’ll go and do battle and hope he’s good enough. He’s far enough forward so he should race well.”

Well Timed races in the same colours as Parker’s retired star Think It Over who features in the nominations for the Provincial Horse Of The Year award, with the winner announced later this month.

On his home track at Kembla Grange on Saturday, Parker is hoping Take You There can back up her debut win in the Haymes Paint Shop Albion Park Rail Handicap (1400m).

The mare started $31 when she scored on her home track three weeks ago and while naturally up in grade he said stepping up in trip will help.

“She did win a midway maiden and goes into a 64 but she’s drawn a nice gate,’’ he said.

“She showed that bit of promise there first-up and I think stepping out the 1400m will suit her better.”

Stablemate Equilibrist is returning from a setback in the Go Hire The Event People Plate (1400m), caused by a foot abscess, but Parker feels a breakthrough win isn’t too far in the four-year-old’s future.

Well Timed wins a Warwick Farm trial on July 26

“His first run back was promising and he’s starting to work it out,’’ he said.

“It took us a while to get the abscess out of him. He had a jump out last week down the back straight and worked well.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Randwick meeting