A winter carnival assault in Brisbane remains on the agenda for Gosford Guineas winner Hightail as his trainers look to raise the bar.
The three-year-old resumes in the Quincy Seltzer Handicap (1250m) at Saturday’s Randwick-Kensington meeting, kicking off an innings that could encompass the Group One Stradbroke Handicap.
A backmarker, Hightail traditionally performs well fresh and while his recent barrier trial was sound, co-trainer Peter Snowden says blinkers will switch him on come race day.
“He only had a soft trial and he was in a pretty good heat too,” Snowden said.
“It was a little blow-out to get him started. He’s got a pretty long carnival ahead of him.
“He’s going to Brisbane for races like the Ken Russell, the Fred Best Classic and we will look at the Stradbroke if he makes it.
“He is a pretty honest campaigner. He always runs well and can handle all sorts of distances and tracks.”
A Brisbane trip is also in the offing for stakes-placed filly Mayaaseh if she can bounce back to her best in the Ranvet’s Power Formula Handicap (1300m).
Third behind Akari and Schweppes Oaks contender Betcha Flying in the Reginald Allen Stakes last spring, Mayaaseh flopped on wet ground when unplaced first-up in March.
Snowden says she is much better than her last run suggests and at $23, she represents value.
“She had a little freshen-up, a good bit of work in between and she’s had a couple of strong gallops that have got her back up to the mark,” Snowden said.
“Better draw Saturday and it should be a better track. She is a class filly actually, she goes quite well and in a race like that, she is certainly not out of it.
“If she happened to run well or win we would certainly think about going to Brisbane for the Ken Russell.”
Mayaaseh will clash with stablemate My Demetra while the Snowdens will also be double-handed in the Sky Racing Active Handicap (1000m) with Brazenpine and L’Cosmo.
