Reece Goodwin, the Pakenham handler, is confident this prep could restore Lovelycut’s success on the track.
The mare, aged four, resumes action in Saturday’s Geoff Murphy Handicap (1200m), lacking concrete future engagements, but a sharp performance first-up may lead her to the Adelaide carnival.
Having raced sparingly, Lovelycut has often demonstrated considerable promise. Her breakthrough came with a Sandown win near the end of her two-year-old stint, and in spring she resumed to claim second at Listed level, fourth in the Vanity Stakes (1400m) at Flemington, before settling midfield in the Thousand Guineas at Caulfield, missing the winner by under three lengths.
She was rested to mature, skipping autumn as a three-year-old, and returned last spring for three starts ending in a 1400m victory at Seymour.
Goodwin voiced his approval of the mare’s current condition.
“Off the back of last prep where she won over 1400 metres, she’s going to be suited at 1400 and 1600 this time around and Saturday is a good kick-off for her,” Goodwin said.
“She could have run in one of the 1100-metre races at Flemington last week, but I just thought 1200 would be a better kick off for her.
“She’s probably not as sharp as she was when she was a two-year-old, three-year-old and it looks a competitive race on Saturday as well, but she’s pretty good fitness wise.
“She’s there to run really well.”
Goodwin highlighted how Lovelycut has matured into a tougher mare suited to racing rigours.
Winter’s arrival means precise programming is vital.
“I’m looking forward to seeing what she can do through the winter,” he said.
“(The) Adelaide carnival could be on the radar depending on how she goes Saturday.
“If she was to win, or run really strongly, we would have to give strong consideration to that because she would go into the mid-80’s ratings wise, but there’s no set plans.
“She’s a highly-strung mare, so travelling her would take a bit out of her, so we want to make sure if we were to go there, it was worthwhile.”
Compare racing betting markets for the Geoff Murphy Handicap ahead of Lovelycut’s run.
