Highly Geared primed for Sydney assault for Garry Kirkup
EXPERIENCED mare Highly Geared as done its fair share of travelling this season, but after an unfortunate trip to Melbourne, it’s back at Randwick for Saturday’s $100,000 Ranvet Handicap.
The seven-year-old’s trip to Melbourne was cut short when an electrical storm hit Caulfield earlier this month, but according to trainer Garry Kirkup, the Ad Valorem mare doesn’t mind the odd float trip.
“Hopefully we’ll get a run this time,” Kirkup said. “We went to Melbourne and the last three races were called off at Caulfield so we had to bring her back home.
“She’s a good traveller and we gave her a few easy days after that.”
Highly Geared will face a talented field of 10 runners this Saturday and Kirkup is happy with how it has progressed since winning on its home track of Canberra in March.
“She’s good and she’s ready for Saturday at Randwick,” Kirkup said.
“Everything seems spot on with her.”
The barrier draw hasn’t been kind for the mare this campaign, having drawn barrier 10 or wider in four of its last six starts which includes barrier 10 this Saturday.
Kirkup is expecting the natural pace runner to contest the speed with apprentice Andrew Adkins in the saddle.
“She’ll push forward straight away as she likes to bowl along,” Kirkup said. “She’ll likely be in the first two or three after the jump.
“She likes to be a free runner and she has drawn wide a few times and still got up from out there.
“I think Super Maxi gets a long a bit, so they should be in the first two most of the way.”
The Canberra form has stacked up nicely over the Sydney autumn carnival and Kirkup doesn’t believe there’s any specific reason for the form spike.
“Some of the trainers have taken the right horses for the right races,” Kirkup said. “They’ve fired a bit – Fell Swoop went well and Maryore in the Provincial Championships.
“They’d had a bit of a run haven’t they?”
Kirkup will also train both Rosover and debutante Ronny Zacapa at Canberra on Friday where he believes both horses could run well in a tough maiden race.
“They’ll both be chances, but it’s a pretty open race,” said Kirkup, who is expecting a solid run for Ronny Zacapa on debut.” He’s actually been working nicely, he’s a bit of a green horse, but just happy to see him run a nice race and go from there.”