Audacious Spirit's Royal Sovereign Stakes performance confirmed Gillian Heinrich's opinion of the colt who will be out to go one better in Saturday's Hobartville Stakes.Heinrich sent Audacious Spirit to Sydney for the Royal Sovereign believing he was a colt with stakes ability and the son of Bel Esprit went within a short half-head of snaring the major prize in the Group Two 1200m race."We always thought he could win black type and there was none in Queensland (at this time) so we brought him do
Audacious Spirit's Royal Sovereign Stakes performance confirmed Gillian Heinrich's opinion of the colt who will be out to go one better in Saturday's Hobartville Stakes.
Heinrich sent Audacious Spirit to Sydney for the Royal Sovereign believing he was a colt with stakes ability and the son of Bel Esprit went within a short half-head of snaring the major prize in the Group Two 1200m race.
"We always thought he could win black type and there was none in Queensland (at this time) so we brought him down and he showed he was somewhere up there with them," the Gold Coast trainer said.
Heinrich admitted she wasn't sure who won when Master Harry and Audacious Spirit hit the line in the head-bobbing finish two weeks ago.
"Glen Colless thought he had won though and even the other jockey (Tim Clark on Master Harry) thought he had been beaten," Heinrich said.
"It was very close and it was still a great run. I just hope he can go a head better this time."
Master Harry is not among the Group Two Hobartville Stakes (1400m) field but Audacious Spirit will renew acquaintances at Rosehill with a number of Sydney's highly-rated three-year-olds including Skilled, Ilovethiscity, Masquerader and Pressday who all finished behind him in the Royal Sovereign when they were first-up.
In-form Somepin Anypin, winner of his past two starts in emphatic fashion, is the race favourite at his first stakes test.
Audacious Spirit steps to 1400m for the first time and his Sydney stay will be extended to take in the Group One Randwick Guineas (1600m) on March 12 if he looks like running the trip.
"I'm just hoping the 1400 metres is what he is looking for. I think it is," Heinrich said.
"I couldn't be happier with him, he's eaten everything and everything has gone well since he's been down in Sydney. It seems to have turned his head around."
On the same day as Audacious Spirit competed admirably in the Royal Sovereign, stablemate Karma Force went down by more than seven lengths on debut in the Canonbury Stakes (1100m).
He is the $201 outsider in Saturday's Group Two Silver Slipper (1100m).
Against the likes of unbeaten filly Satin Shoes and impressive debut winner Straight Gold, Karma Force would need to produce a massive turnaround to make his presence felt.
Heinrich is hoping to see an improved showing.
"Obviously I thought he went all right to bring him down (to Sydney)," the trainer said.