Scratching time will reveal the true strength of trainer Jeremy Sylvester's team for Canterbury on Wednesday.Sylvester is sweating on a withdrawal in the Guineas Restaurant Handicap (1900m) so former New Zealander Hezapearla, the first emergency, can scrape into the field.And while Youthful King already gives the Cessnock trainer a strong hand in the Hyland Race Colours Handicap (1200m) he is desperate for Hezapearla to show off his staying prowess."I'm looking forward to trying him in stronger
Scratching time will reveal the true strength of trainer Jeremy Sylvester's team for Canterbury on Wednesday.
Sylvester is sweating on a withdrawal in the Guineas Restaurant Handicap (1900m) so former New Zealander Hezapearla, the first emergency, can scrape into the field.
And while Youthful King already gives the Cessnock trainer a strong hand in the Hyland Race Colours Handicap (1200m) he is desperate for Hezapearla to show off his staying prowess.
"I'm looking forward to trying him in stronger company while he's down in the weights," Sylvester said.
Hezapearla is unbeaten in two starts for Sylvester after contrasting wins at Quirindi and Cessnock.
"He was on-pace when he won at Quirindi and then he came from 15 lengths off them at the 800 metres when he won at Cessnock," Sylvester said.
With Robert Thompson in the saddle, the four-year-old carried 61.5kg in his Cessnock win and drops to the 53kg limit if he lines up at Canterbury.
Thompson is booked for the Canterbury ride, the champion bush jockey's only mount at the meeting.
"Even though he's going to be hard to place in the country, I think the horse has got a genuine future," Sylvester said.
"If you go through some of his early form in New Zealand you can see what sort of ability he's got."
Youthful King returns to Canterbury with Sylvester confident there is significant improvement on an earlier Sydney visit.
"I reckon he might have needed the run last time," Sylvester said of the sprinter's midfield effort to subsequent Saturday-class winner Recorrido.
Youthful King is unbeaten in two bush starts since, including a fast-finishing Jungle Juice Cup win at Cessnock on July 5.
Apprentice Alison Threadwell weaved a miraculous passage to give Sylvester his fifth Jungle Juice Cup victory and she retains the ride with her three-kilogram claim bringing Youthful King in with 55kg.
Canterbury was rated in the slow range on Tuesday with showers forecast throughout the week.
"If we get the rain predicted, the track will be heavy," racecourse manager Lindsay Murphy said.