The classy mare Pop Award heads back to Stakes racing this Saturday, as her co-trainer Lyn Tolson banks on the familiarity of her home track to mitigate the increased competition level.
The five-year-old makes her Mornington bow in the $200,000 Listed Hareeba Stakes (1200m), serving as the highlight sprint of the Mornington Cup meeting.
Pop Award resumed victorious at Flemington on March 28 in a 1100m mares’ handicap, positioning this weekend’s 1200m assignment, in Tolson’s opinion, as her strongest chance for feature honours locally.
“Mornington is her home track, so if we could draw a gate it’d be good,” Tolson, who trains in partnership with daughter Leonie Proctor, said.
“From what we can read, it’s going to be a bit stronger Hareeba than we’ve had, but you can’t keep them in cotton wool all the time at home in their box all the time, can you?”
Among the 27 nominations for the Hareeba Stakes are possible foes for Pop Award like Half-brothers Desert Lightning and Oak Hill, Punch Lane, Corniche, Big Swinger, Recommendation and Rosberg.
The daughter of Shamus Award goes for Listed win number two, building on her 1200m Regal Roller Stakes conquest at Caulfield last August.
That marked her finest result in six successes from 13 appearances.
Five races on Soft or Heavy going yielded three triumphs, and with showers forecast for Thursday and Friday, Tolson expects a boost.
“She does appreciate a bit of give in the track and she did a lot of racing last prep, when she wasn’t going any good, on firmer going and she just likes the sting out,” Tolson said.
“So, hopefully Mornington is not too hard, but she’s an honest mare and she’s trained on well from her last race.”
A good performance in the Hareeba Stakes might lead Pop Award to Adelaide for the $150,000 Group 3 Proud Miss Stakes (1200m) on May 9, Tolson indicated.
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