Latest News

By Ray Hickson

The bar is a little higher for Allasandra’s campaign kick off after she rushed through her grades earlier this year so trainer David Payne is a little cautious about the mare’s return at Rosehill on Wednesday.

Payne said the reason is it seems the four-year-old hasn’t quite shaken off her winter coat just yet so he suspects she may need the run in the Kia Handicap (1300m).

Allasandra hasn’t won first-up previously but she did commence her last prep with a solid third on the Kensington track before going on to win three straight including a midweek city race.

“She’s been off a little while and I think she might be just short of a run,’’ Payne said.

“She’s come back well but she still has a bit of a winter coat so that tells you she’s not quite there yet.”

Payne has given the mare, $4.40 with TAB on Tuesday, one trial in the lead up her return, customary for him, and hopes she can at least match her previous fresh effort having drawn favourably.

The third of her wins last time in came in similar grade to what she faces first-up.

“She ended with three wins and a second so it wasn’t bad preparation,’’ he said.

Allasandra's trial at Rosehill on September 5

“Most of my horses resume with one trial. She’ll run a good race but I’m just a bit wary of her coat telling me she has improvement.”

State Of America had a hard luck tale to tell when third at Canterbury two weeks ago and Payne said he’s mulling over whether to run in the James Squire Handicap (1800m) or save him for a Midway at Randwick on Saturday.

He said it’s hard to give up an inside draw and will examine the likely field for the Midway before making a choice, but added the horse is racing in super form.

If he does line up he's confident State Of America will be hard to beat.

"He should have won the other day, he was a bit stiff,'' he said.

Stablemate Midnight Harry needs to turn things around in the TAB We’re On Handicap (1200m).

The three-year-old started his career on a promising note with a couple of placings at Hawkesbury but hasn’t quite matched those efforts in two subsequent starts.

He went around at $101 when running fifth behind Lost in a Super Maiden at Canterbury two weeks ago.

“He will be competitive but he has been a little disappointing I suppose, I thought he’d have done a bit better,’’ he said.

All the fields, form and replays for Wednesday’s Rosehill meeting