It has been quite a round trip for the five-year-old mare Party For Two who started her career at the Sunshine Coast and who now returns to the scene of her first career victory on Saturday to tackle the $125,000 Swiss Ace Plate.
A win on Saturday would be Party For Two’s fourth straight victory as she continues to push the envelope on the way to fulfilling the potential she showed from day one.
It has been a three stable journey for Party For Two.
The daughter of Sidestep was initially in the care of trainer Damien Batters who, in five starts, won two races with her … her first win came at the Sunshine Coast by 7.25 lengths … and he also took her to a fine second placing under Nikita Beriman in the Group 2 Blue Diamond Prelude.
Party For Two was then transferred to the Steven O’Dea / Matthew Hoysted stable … and then to Hoysted alone when O’Dea stepped away from training.
Fourteen runs under that training banner over fifteen-month period produced another three wins, but then Party For Two was on the move again, this time to multiple Premiership winning trainer Tony Gollan, who wasted little time finding the key to what makes Party For Two fire as a five-year old.
Party For Two finished fifth in her first start for Gollan and then kicked into winning gear reeling off that hat trick of wins which should see her, and jockey Emily Lang who has partnered Party For Two in her three latest wins, go into the Swiss Ace Plate brimming with confidence about their chances.
In an open betting race, Party For Two is currently on the second line of betting with the horse the betting market tips to beat her being Party For Two’s stable companion Hidden Wealth, who has wins in the Weetwood, the Group 3 George Moore and the $1.5 million Magic Millions QTIS Open behind his name.
Hidden Wealth, who is a six–year-old, will give the year younger Party For Two a 3.5kg advantage at the weights.
And Gollan’s firepower for the race does not end there.
Gollan will also send King Kapa, Nettuno, Fleetwood, Hurt’s So Good and Liquor to contest the Swiss Ace Plate … meaning the stable will saddle no less than seven of the sixteen runners set to face the starter.
King Kapa and Nettuno are the best fancied of these runners at $12.
