Murwillumbah trainer Wendy Roche is confident that after much work she has veteran galloper and known barrier rouge Here De Angles worked out and holds no fears about how he will behave once loaded into the gates for his start in the $125,000 Group 3 Missile Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Here De Angels will make their Randwick race debut in the Missile Stakes on Saturday
Dehere eight-year-old Here De Angles enjoyed a highly-successful start to his long-spanning racing career back in 2006 – 07 when under the training of Lee Freedman they won their opening six starts including the Group 3 DC McKay Stakes and Group 3 Ian McEwen Stakes.
Over the next few seasons with Hall of Famer Freedman Here De Angles would go on to record two more Group 3 victories and run a brave fourth finishing just a length away from 2008 Manikato Stakes winner Typhoon Zed before being transferred to the stables of Mark Kavanagh in the spring of 2009.
With Kavanagh Here De Angles continued to race consistently winning a number of stakes races, coming a close second to Ahdashim in a race on Melbourne Cup Day two years ago and posting a Group 1 second place finish in last year’s Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield.
After two failed runs finishing dead last twice during the autumn, the last of which Here De Angles reared in the barriers injuring himself, the horse was sent for a lengthy nine month spell before being transferred to Roche.
“I didn’t think it would be as big a challenge as it was,” Roche said in regards to taking over the training of Here De Angles.
“He came from two of the country’s biggest stables, I didn’t think I was any better or any worse than them but I thought being a small stable I could be hands-on and give him the attention to detail he needs.”
He debuted for his new trainer at Grafton in July finishing a credible seventh beaten just two and a half lengths in the Listed WHK Ramornie Handicap (1200m) and will get their chance to atone in the Missile Stakes on Saturday.
The Missile will be Here De Angle’s first look at the Royal Randwick, the challenging galloper set to jump from barrier three of nine with Jeff Penza booked for the ride.
When asked if she was concerned over the barrier start on Saturday, Roche was adamant she was not.
“No, as long as the protocols I’ve strategically set are carried out in every trial and every race,” she said.
The barrier attendants will certainly have their work cut out for them, where Here De Angles having to be led by a double clip lead followed by an attendant to stand guard in front once he’s in the barriers.
His notorious barrier manners are a far cry from the placid horse Here De Angles is while at home according to Roche.
“He’s like a kid’s pony at home and he’s like that at the races too when he’s in the enclosure,” she said.
“He’s really quiet.”
In the current Missile Stakes – Randwick Race 6 – betting markets at Luxbet Here De Angles is rated a $26 outsider.
Saturday race betting on the Missile is dominated by Joe Pride’s boom sprinter Rain Affair ($2.60) and the Peter Snowden-trained Pinwheel ($4.40).
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