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By Ray Hickson

Could winkers going back on be the key to spark improvement in lightly raced mare Piggyback at Randwick on Saturday?

Johann Gerard-Dubord (Pic: Bradley Photos).

There was no doubt from the Ciaron Maher stable that the four-year-old disappointed in her first-up unplaced effort at Warwick Farm a week before Christmas.

But assistant trainer Johann Gerard-Dubord said while a mile and further will ultimately be her sweet spot he’d expect Piggyback to make her presence felt with the gear addition in the Ranvet Handicap (1500m).

“We like to leave the gear off them first-up unless we feel it’s necessary,’’ he said.

“We’re putting the headgear back on and she goes up a touch in trip. We’ve kept her fairly fresh because she is fairly light but she is a clean winded horse. I’d like to see some improvement.

“It probably was a little bit disappointing (first-up), even though she wants ground and is better when she can be a bit closer in the run we would have liked to see her find the line a bit better.”

Piggyback, $6 with TAB on Thursday, was a winner at 2000m at Randwick back in June, beating Be Real, and on the back of a solid trial win leading into her first-up run at 1400m she started a well supported $2.50 favourite.

She found herself back in the field on the fence under 58kg and while she worked into the clear on the home turn she couldn’t match the sprint of the winner Sly Boots and was beaten 1-1/2 lengths.

Gerard-Dubord said the original plan was to run in the mile race on Saturday but the stable opted for Plan B when she drew the outside in that event.

“The trial leading into the run was good and she’s always been a mare we thought would keep improving with time. And I think that’s still the case,’’ he said.

“She will definitely improve again, moreso because of the trip and she will stay 2400m in time, it’s just whether she’s sharp enough.”

Space Age enjoyed a successful winter preparation, winning two of his six starts, and Gerard-Dubord said the Toyota Forklifts Handicap (1400m) is a starting point for the new campaign.

He said based on last time in, where he didn’t fire until reaching a mile third-up on a heavy track, he’s cautious about his chances in a race where he’ll likely be conservatively ridden.

“He’s a nice horse but he did take a couple of runs last prep,’’ he said.

“He takes a bit of racing and he is a lot better when there is give in the track. From that gate, and considering how he was first-up last prep, we want to see him run well and be good late.”

Maher has three runners in the Captivant @ Kia Ora Handicap (1400m) and while Gerard-Dubord said Destiny’s Delight will likely need the run first-up he warns both Miss You Ella and Desiah can improve on their first-up performances.

Miss You Ella is winless since arriving in Australia but there were signs in her unlucky fifth behind Perfect Thought three weeks ago that she’s capable of an upset.

“Her first couple of runs were plain last prep but after that we changed some gear and she really improved,’’ he said.

“If you go back through all her runs you’d say she should have won a race by now. The other day she was not tested at all, there was a lot more there.”

Desiah failed to beat a runner home first-up at Rosehill but it was a heavy 10 that day and there was some market support for her.

Piggyback runs fifth at Warwick Farm on December 18

Jockey Jason Collett reported Desiah didn’t handle the conditions so Gerard-Dubord sees a case to forgive her based on her form earlier this year and a 3kg claim for apprentice Anna Roper.

“She had form on wet tracks but it was pretty extreme and Jason said from the time they quickened and he let her head go she was gone,’’ he said.

“If we forget about that her form last prep was good and you wouldn’t be surprised if she ran very well.”

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