By Ray Hickson
Jockey Brenton Avdulla says there’s plenty to like about Group 1 winning filly Hinged as he looks to parlay his Golden Slipper success into another major at Rosehill on Saturday.
Jockey Brenton Avdulla (Pic: Steve Hart)
Hinged gave the 31-year-old a dream return from six months on the sidelines with a neck injury when she claimed the Group 1 Surround Stakes (1400m) a month ago and he backed that up last weekend with his 11th career Group 1 victory on Fireburn in the Slipper.
After being unable to ride Hinged with 52.5kg in the Coolmore Classic, where she ran third, Avdulla can’t wait to reunite with the Chris Waller-trained filly in the Group 1 $500,000 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m).
“She profiles well for the race, she won well second-up in the Surround on wet ground,’’ he said.
“She was unlucky in the Coolmore but ran well and hit the line well. It suggests going to 2000m on Saturday on her home track, on a wet track again, she will be ready to go.”
A wide run made Hinged’s task in the Coolmore a tough one but she continued to find the line running the third fastest last 600m of 35.44 (Punter's Intelligence) when beaten under two lengths by Lighthouse and though she's going straight from 1500m to 2000m she was a close second in the Group 1 Flight Stakes (1600m) in the spring.
In her favour in the Vinery is barrier four and Avdulla said that presents him with many more options than William Pike had on the filly last start.
“I wouldn’t imagine she would be too far away,’’ he said.
“She had a low draw in the Surround and it worked out well. I think she’ll run a mile and a quarter and her run the other day suggests it.
“Until they do try you don’t know but she gives every indication that she will.
“It’ll always be how she jumps and that’s where she’ll be, I won’t be riding her out of her comfort zone but if she jumps well enough and she can hold a spot behind them that’s all well and good.”
Hinged has been vying for favouritism with unbeaten Queenslander Gypsy Goddess since the barrier draw was released and they were $4.20 with TAB on Thursday.
Avdulla has a healthy respect for David Vandyke’s filly and while he’s confident his mount will have no troubles with 2000m he says there’ll be no margin for error.
“David’s horse looks pretty sharp and you’ve got to respect Chris’s other horses (Fangirl and Pretty Amazing),’’ he said.
“The fillies when they get up in trip they can come from anywhere. It’s a race that can throw up a rough result or an emerging staying filly.”
It’s been 12 months since Matt Smith’s consistent mare Nimalee’s last win and Avdulla said she’ll have every chance to defend her title in the Group 2 $200,000 Canadian Club Emancipation Stakes (1500m).
Hinged runs third in the Coolmore Classic on March 12
In eight starts since that win she’s only been further back than fourth twice and showed she’s come back well with a first-up second to Wandabaa in the Group 3 Newcastle Newmarket (1400m) on a heavy track.
“I was really happy with her the other day,’’ Avdulla said.
“She’s off a similar sort of set up from when she won the race last year, she’s had a tickover trial in between.
“She’s drawn around the speed and hopefully she can get a nice cart across somewhere there just behind them. Her preferred surface is probably a drying soft but she profiles well to run well in a race like this.”
All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Rosehill meeting