Scone trainer Lou Mary is confident one of his two-pronged attack will be able to make their presence felt in the Highway on Saturday at Rosehill.
With rain forecast for Sydney on Saturday, Mary is unsure whether four-year-old mare Ideel Girl will front up due to the anticipated soft conditions but is confident early market favourite Proverbial will deftly handle a rain affected surface.
Proverbial provided Mary with his maiden Highway success back in June last year, scoring by over a length on a Soft 7 Rosehill track.
Facing similar conditions on Saturday, Mary is full of confidence heading into the 1200m assignment and is sure talented apprentice Dylan Gibbons will be the right man for the job.
“It’s always good for a young country trainer to have a horse of her calibre that can go and compete in town,” Mary said.
“She’s in great order – a heavy 8 won’t be a problem for her.
“She’s pretty deep into her preparation and it will probably be her last start but in saying this, she’s as well as she was leading into last start.
“We haven’t had a winner yet together, but Dylan has always ridden our horses really well and he’s a gentleman as a person. He’s very level-headed and he’s got a very bright future ahead of him – so it’s very good to have him on with the 2kg claim.”
If Proverbial was to salute on Saturday, under the classing system the mare would become ineligible to compete in another Highway, but Mary believes the five-year-old will progress to be a competitive ‘midweeker’ or even Saturday horse.
Mary’s other nominated runner, Ideel Girl has returned in great order in her second campaign under Mary and had drier conditions been forecast he was assured she would’ve been fighting out the finish.
“We’ve trained her a bit differently – we trained her a bit fresher over shorter and sharper distances, which she seems to enjoy. She’s really looked like a different mare all throughout this preparation,” Mary said.
“I really hope in her case that the rain stays away because I would really like to see how she levels up in a Highway field.
“She’ll be one that will go through her grades. If Saturday was a very dry track – a good three, I would say she would be a top chance no problem.”
Proverbial heads early markets as a $7 bet365 Australia elect, while Ideel Girl currently remains in the field as a $26 chance.