Coyle with two Hawkesbury Guineas hopefuls
Trainer Jason Coyle will be two-handed in the Hawkesbury Guineas which will be run at Rosehill.
Off the back of another encouraging performance behind exciting filly Rubisaki at Randwick, St Covet’s Spirit is on track to race on a seven-day back-up in the Group Three Hawkesbury Guineas.
The Jason Coyle-trained St Covet’s Spirit resumed with a fifth in the Group Three P J Bell Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on April 4 before her third, beaten a length, in Saturday’s Group Three James H B Carr Stakes (1400m).
Both races were won by Rubisaki who has been unbeaten in six starts this season.
Coyle said St Covet’s Spirit was on track to back up in Saturday’s Hawkesbury Guineas (1400m), chasing a first stakes win, while stablemate Mo’s Crown is also among the 22 nominations.
The race will be run at Rosehill as part of a revised provincial program amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“The plan was to back the filly up and the other horse has done well so at this stage I think we’ll more than likely accept for him on Wednesday,” Coyle said.
“St Covet’s Spirit was terrific on Saturday. She has run into a filly there that is just low flying at the moment.
“The second horse (Subpoenaed) was dropping back from running in a Group One Vinery Stud Stakes, so I think the form out of that race will be good.
“She took the right improvement from her first-up run and did everything I wanted her to do.
“She relaxed off a really solid tempo and found the line strongly. It was a positive performance.
“Looking at the program I’ve always had that back-up in mind so it’s good to see her come through the weekend well.”
Coyle was leaning to stakes-placed St Covet’s Spirit as his leading chance but said Mo’s Crown, who won over 1200m at Newcastle on April 14, was racing well.
Mo’s Crown has won a class one at Gosford and class two at Newcastle this campaign either side of running sixth and fifth respectively in the Fireball Quality and Darby Munro Stakes.
“When he’s stepped up in class he has been good without winning,” Coyle said.
“Dropping him back in grade twice this preparation he’s had two wins.
“With three wins from ten starts he probably profiles like a horse that deserves a chance at this level again.”
The Hawkesbury Guineas is one of four stakes races on Saturday’s program.
The meeting, which holds metropolitan status, is traditionally held at Hawkesbury in Sydney’s north west.
It has been transferred to the city along with upcoming meetings at Scone and Gosford during the COVID-19 crisis.
NSW jockeys have been divided into three regions meaning metropolitan riders are not able to compete at the provincial locations.