Trainer Gordon Yorke desperately wants a dry track for his mare Star Of Filante at Lismore on Saturday.
“Given a dry track she looks well placed to win another race,” Coffs Harbour-based Yorke said.
“If it’s wet forget it. She just doesn’t handle it.
“It’s like taking a Ferrari on a four-wheel drive track. It doesn’t work.”
The seven-year-old mare tackles the M&T Tyres Benchmark 50 handicap over 1100m.
Star Of Filante will be ridden by four-kilogram claimer Cassandra Schmidt, the younger sister of Gold Coast apprentice Priscilla Schmidt who is no stranger to winning races in the NSW Northern Rivers area.
A big strong mare, Star Of Filante has managed four wins from 33 starts with Yorke of the opinion her record would have been far better but for her dislike of rain-affected surfaces.
She resumed from a 36-week spell with an encouraging half-neck second to Moveover Target over 1000m at Bowraville on December 26 before a 1-1/2-length third to Royal Alias and stablemate Pin over 1012m at Port Macquarie on January 6.
Her last effort, when 6-1/2-lengths seventh of nine to Tivoli Beau over 1000m at Port Macquarie on January 15 confirmed Yorke’s opinion of her dislike for wet tracks.
“She was going great guns up until then,” Yorke said.
“That day her wheels were spinning without going anywhere.
“She’s done enormous in the stable since then.
“She’s a mature mare with plenty of early speed that suits racing at Lismore.”
Yorke praised 19-year-old Schmidt who is apprenticed to Glen Hodge at Port Macquarie.
“She rides this mare well,” he said.
“I’ve got no problems with her horsemanship. She’s still learning but I have no qualms putting her on.
“And having the four-kilo weight relief certainly doesn’t hurt us.”
AAP TURF
