Trainer Ryan Hill is confident Guarding Heaven can end her maiden tag when she comes up against some handy juveniles second-up at Belmont Park on Saturday.
The former jockey gives Guarding Heaven a big chance of foiling the hopes of fancied runners, Red Square and A Lot Of Good Men in the Durkin-Privilege Birthday Plate (1200m).
The Paul Jordan-trained-Red Square, unbeaten in two career starts, has trimmed into $3.30 favouritism after he opened $4.40 with Tabtouch Fixed Odds on Wednesday.
The Russian Revolution colt takes market lead from A Lot Of Good Men who has not finished further back than fourth in five starts for trainer, Trevor Andrews.
Khutos, for co-trainers Grant and Alana Williams, is next at $4.40 with Guarding Heaven ($7) and King Cartel ($9) rounding out runners in single figure odds.
Red Square, a $170,000 Perth Magic Millions yearling, carries 58kg for jockey Craig Staples and jumps from barrier four.
A Lot Of Good Men lumps the 59.5kg topweight and has drawn gate two, regular rider, Paul Harvey stays on the colt.
Guarding Heaven jumps from barrier three and goes around with 51kg on her back with the claim of Victoria Corver.
Brad Parnham rode Guarding Heaven on her return two weeks ago when she was doing some of her best work late when third over 1000m.
Hill says a couple of key factors stack up in Guarding Heaven’s way.
“She’s drawn a good gate,” Hill told Tabradio.
“I have a lot of respect for Trevor’s horse and Red Square is a nice horse.
“But with Guarding Heaven’s weight and barrier they are going to have to be pretty good to beat us.
“They’re giving us around 8kgs and that’s a fair bit of weight.”
Guarding Heaven is yet to record a win, but her form last year against top two-year-olds cannot be understated.
She wasn’t too far off the mark behind the likes of Brave Halo, Super Smink and A Lot Of Good Men.
Brave Halo ran a cracking fourth in the G1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Flemington in February.
Super Smink showed star power to win the Karrakatta Plate (1200m)-Sires’ (1400m)-double in the autumn.
Hill said the form lines around Guarding Heaven are above average.
“Jake’s (Casey) horse (Brave Halo) that beat her first up could have been the best two-year-old we’ve had this season,” Hill said.
“He went to Melbourne and was pretty stiff.
“And A Lot Of Good men started favourite in the Magic Millions.
“She’s (Guarding Heaven) seen some pretty handy types.”
