Blinkers gear change has Livin’ On A Prayer flying
A gear addition has brought out the very best in Livin’ On A Prayer.
The Redwood four-year-old has won three of her last four starts, the latest of them a defeat of a competitive line-up in the Dunstan Feeds Championship Final (1500m) at Ellerslie on Boxing Day.
“Since we put the blinkers on she hasn’t looked back,” trainer and part-owner Wayne Hillis said.
Livin’ On A Prayer had to overcome a wide run from an outside gate and she did that in style, bursting to the front 200m from home for a comfortable victory.
“We’ll try and get some black type with her now,” Hillis said. “We’ll look for fillies and mares’ races, possibly the Cuddle Stakes at Trentham.”
A daughter of the Group One winner It’s My Sin, Livin’ On A Prayer was ridden as usual by Cameron Lammas.
“She’s a tough horse and was a bit naughty when she first started,” he said.
Livin’ On A Prayer settled near the pace and she accelerated quickly half-way down the straight to put the issue beyond doubt.
“She jumped well and we were three wide, but with cover,” Lammas said. “She travelled beautifully today and when I asked her to go she went whoosh.”
Livin’ On A Prayer had a length and a-half on King’s Cross at the finish with Monrecour getting home well for third ahead of the topweight Brighton.