Trainer Paul Messara hopes to turn the clock back when he saddles talented colt Rekindled Power in Saturday’s $150,000 Group 3 Blacktown Workers Hawkesbury Guineas, reports Racing NSW.
Alverta – a mare he will never forget - was his first stakes winner when she landed the Guineas in 2007 (when it carried Listed status), with Kathy O’Hara aboard. She was also his first city winner and breakthrough Group 1 winner.
And he has an air of confidence, in spite of the wet track, that he can snare the Guineas again eight years later with Redoute’s Choice three-year-old Rekindled Power (Brenton Avdulla).
“He is going super,” Messara said today. “I was really happy with his first-up run; in fact it exceeded our expectations.
“He doesn’t really handle heavy ground, but gets through it. I feel he will be up to his ears in Saturday’s race.”
Rekindled Power at only his fifth start ran a cracking first-up third during The Championships, behind Delectation and Bring Me The Maid in the Group 2 Arrowfield Sprint (1200m) on a heavy Randwick surface on April 11.
It was his first outing since finishing sixth to Petrology in the Group 2 Sandown Guineas (1600m) in mid-November.
Left: Paul Messara-trained Rekindled Power ahead of Saturday's $150,000 Hawkesbury Guineas
Messara has already pencilled in Brisbane winter carnival assignments for Rekindled Power. The colt will leave on Monday for races such as the Sunshine Coast Guineas and Queensland Guineas.
A Guineas victory at Hawkesbury would be the icing on the cake for Messara and wife Alice, who welcomed the birth of their third son, Fred, last week.
Hawkesbury CEO Brian Fletcher has tipped Messara’s colt to win the Guineas. His specials are Impulsive Spirit (PFD Food Services Benchmark 85 Handicap, 1300m), Craftiness (XXXX Gold Rush, 1100m) and Strawberry Boy (Panthers Hawkesbury Gold Cup, 1600m).
Mandalong Miss has been withdrawn from the Guineas, reducing the field to 12.
Messara also starts Tarangower (apprentice Winona Costin) at Hawkesbury, in the Blakes Marine Benchmark 80 Handicap (1500m).
But he admits he is hopeful more than confident about the four-year-old’s chances after his disappointing sixth to Darci Magic in a Benchmark 90 Handicap (1600m) at Randwick.
“I really expected him to be very competitive last Saturday, and can’t find an excuse.
“But he has come through the race well, so I am backing him up.
“Hopefully, he can turn that form around.”
Prior to last week’s loss, Tarangower had been in excellent form, culminating with his second to Artlee in The Championships Country Series Final (1400m) at Randwick on April 6.
Laser Hawk and Diademe have been withdrawn from the $150,000 Group 3 Panthers Hawkesbury Gold Cup (1600m), providing starts for the first two emergencies Lucky Lago and Evangelist.
Hawkesbury, thankfully, escaped heavy rain which hit other parts earlier this morning and received only 2mm. The track remains a “Soft 7” with a penetrometer reading of 5.39.
“If we can also escape any of the predicted heavy rain up to Saturday, then this track will surprise a lot of people,” Brian Fletcher said.
“There is no water on the track; it drains fantastically nowadays.”