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By Ray Hickson

With little fanfare, Headley Grange has already collected five wins from his 13 starts which leaves trainer Joe Pride to wonder what his level might be.

Joe Pride (Pic: Steve Hart)

The trainer is no stranger to unearthing a progressive galloper, and handy money earner for his owners, but as he steps up in grade in the Captivant @ Kia Ora Handicap (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday he’d like to think the best is still ahead.

Headley Grange put the writing on the wall with a big first-up effort on Boxing Day then backed it up with a win in fast time at Wyong two weeks ago.

“He’s a little but under the radar for one reason or another but he’s just as easy to deal with at home as he is for the punters to deal with,’’ Pride said.

“I’m sure they like him and so do I, he’s an easy horse to assess.

“He’s very straightforward, he’s honest, he’s genuine and he turns up and does his best every time.

“Earning prizemoney along the way is the cream here in Sydney, even running placings you’re accumulating good money.”

The gelding has had the same amount of starts as stablemate Accredited, who would have been favourite had the Carrington Stakes been run this weekend, but Pride isn’t putting him in the same company at this point.

What Headley Grange has shown this preparation is a willingness to be more involved in his races early on and that’s something that will help him handle rising in class.

“I think 1400m for him is about right for his next step,’’ he said.

“He’s already shown he can run a mile but there’s no rush to get him there this preparation.

“He’s showing a little but more tactical speed this preparation which is good for him. He was slow to begin in a few of his runs early on and he was getting back and into positions where he couldn’t win races from.

“He’s been pretty sharp in his two runs so far so I’m happy to take him a long at a slow rate. It’s another stepping stone for him but he’s a nice horse.”

Pride is happy to back Cosmonova up in the Ranvet Handicap (1200m) after she proved to him that she doesn’t like a wet track when beating one home at Rosehill last weekend.

It was a bit of an unfortunate scenario for the mare, though, as she was in the final race and that was the only race affected by rain on race day.

“I waited all day for her and it started raining as I was saddling her up so she was pretty unlucky there,’’ he said.

“It wasn’t to her liking at all, she’ll hopefully get back on top of the ground and that will suit her.”

It’s the opposite scenario for stablemate Cool Jakey who Pride says will only resume in the 2025 Stud And Stable Staff Awards Handicap (1200m) if the track is rain affected.

“If it’s a good 4 on the day and there’s no rain around I’d probably take him out because there’s no use wasting a run, he’s a wet tracker,’’ he said.

Headley Grange wins at Wyong on January 11

“I do need to start his prep off but I wouldn’t want to waste it because he’s trialled up well and he’s nowhere near as effective on top of the ground.”

Meanwhile, Pride said he’ll reassess where Accredited goes next with the Group 3 Southern Cross Stakes (1200m) on Saturday week a possible plan B for the in-form five-year-old.

“It was all roads leading to one race, it looked ideal for him, but I’ll have a look at see what I can do with him,’’ he said.

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