With spring in the air late bloomer Hermosa Beach will face her biggest test at Canterbury.
Hermosa Beach has won a Highway race at Randwick, competed in a $100,000 Country Championship Qualifier and in midweek company at Warwick Farm, but trainer Matt Dale believes Wednesday’s benchmark race over 1250m will be her stiffest assignment.
Trainers Peter and Paul Snowden have a strong hand with Thousand Guineas-nominated filly Faith’s Encore looking to take on older horses and make it two wins from as many starts.
Among her opposition is stablemate Maraam, a half-sister to Derryn who will run in the Golden Rose on Saturday, while Godolphin’s Painted Firetail’s last outing was in the Group Three P J Bell Stakes at Randwick in April.
On pedigree, Hermosa Beach is not out of her depth. She is a half-sister to 1995 Flight Stakes winner Pontal Lass, the dam of Group Two winner Charlie Boy.
Dale says the six-year-old mare is yet to show her best as she heads towards her 13th start.
“We’ve been patient with her because she’s a mare with a good pedigree and that keeps improving,” Dale said.
“She’s not a star track worker and never has been.
“It’s really not until you get towards the races that you get a good level of her improvement for this current preparation.”
Brenton Avdulla won the Highway on her in January and returns to the saddle with the inside draw on his side.
“She’ll be ridden to where she’s comfortable, probably midfield or a bit worse,” Dale said.
“We just want to see her work solidly to the line.”
While her potential remains untapped Dale is not setting any goals for her third preparation.
“It’s the hardest race she’s been in,” Dale said.
“That will give us a good idea of where she’s at and we’ll revise the plans from there.”
Hermosa Beach came to Dale’s stable through a dispersal sale after formerly being trained by Brian Gentle when he was based on the outskirts of Sydney.
“It’s just a matter of getting her going,” Dale said.
