Trainer Dean Mirfin has waited for the perfect race to resume Ida’s Rules, who is a short-priced favourite at Parkes on Sunday. BEST BETS, INSIDE MAIL
Mirfin has gifted Heywood two golden opportunities to add to his own tally of 471 winners this weekend aboard the lightly-raced pairing, Ida’s Rules and East Harlem.
Ida’s Rules has done all her racing, limited as it is, in the central west region, having finished runner-up at Orange (twice) before her January 24 second at home at Bathurst.
The daughter of Press Statement opens her new campaign in the D’Aquinos Love Your Mother Maiden Handicap (1000m).
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“We have planned this race for the last few weeks and thought this would be a nice one to kick her off with,’’ Mirfin said.
“She is going into the race without a barrier trial. We have jumped her out at home and we think that her fitness levels are good enough to run first-up 1000m.
“She couldn’t quite break her maiden status in that first prep but she ran well every time and we kind of knew that she would go and have a break and come back a bit better so that’s what has happened.’’
Ida’s Rule is a sister to her accomplished stablemate Island Press who has won five of his 21 starts and started favourite in the 2023 Country Championships Qualifier at Mudgee.
“She is an eye-catcher,’’ Mirfin said.
“And probably a better sort than her brother
“She’s not a flashy colour, she doesn’t have the white face or anything like that that makes her standout but when you look at her walking around the enclosure, she’s a beast.’’
Nick Heywood has two rides for trainer Dean Mirfin among his seven at Parkes on Sunday.
Ida’s Rules is owned by Tony Muollo (of Press Statement fame) who has his extended family involved in the aforementioned westbound East Harlem who resumes in the Hankook Tyres Benchmark 58 Handicap (1000m).
East Harlem’s form reads hot and cold with a win and nothing much else to show from his four starts to date. but not so, according to his trainer.
“He won both his trials, then he won first-up and he didn’t have a lot of luck both times after that,’’ Mirfin explained.
“And he was an immature minded sort of animal, he got a bit upset at the races, just as far sweating up and things like that so we gelded him after his first preparation.
“He’s out of a Zabeel mare so he was probably a horse that wanted a bit of time as well.
“He has come back from a spell and he’s trialled very nicely the other day and he is ready to go.
“I think there will be some faster ones in the races than him but hopefully from the draw, he will get a nice run just behind them.’’
While both of Mirfin’s gallopers are making their Parkes debut, the trainer himself counts it as a happy hunting ground with an extraordinary win strike-rate of 34.6 per cent at the venue.
SHAYNE O’CASS’ TOP SELECTIONS
BEST BET
Race 1 No.2: IDA’S RULES
Finished runner-up at all three starts at the first campaign, two of those at Sunday’s 1000m trip. Drawn well, go well.
NEXT BEST
Race 5 No.9: FASHIONISTA
Denman mare who deserves some reward for recent efforts. Getting beaten a long way but in quite good maidens.
VALUE BET
Race 8 No.3: HELLO JACK
Won or placed at nine of 14; has two wins — the second of which came as recently as April 21 and he walked in.
QUADDIE
R5: 9
R6: 4,10
R7: 2,3,6,7
R8: 3,12
JOCKEY TO FOLLOW
Nick Heywood could rack up enough points to take out the Parkes Cup day TAB Jockeys Challenge.
INSIDE MAIL
RACE 1
Ida’s Rules finished second at all three starts in her first preparation. Two of those seconds were over 1000m and not to suggest that she is a squib, she just could not be any better placed in this race, a pretty skinny 1000m affair it must be said, and better still – with box five and Nick Heywood. Last Ditch Effort is an obstacle. Venatic has been thereabouts in the majority of her seven runs. Jim Bowman bred mare Hurling is a “watch horse”.
Bet: Ida’s Rules to win
RACE 2
Speedzone is a Terry Craft trained Hawkesbury resident making his way out west (with a stablemate in a later race) on Sunday. Croft has been far and wide with the son of Eurozone and he’s obviously picking well given that the horse has won $80,000-odd. Beautifully placed again here. Avalicious is another mostly consistent racehorse. Back to the mile might be a winning move. Our Orator has been in fabulous form this time in and is a last start hero.
Bet: Speedzone to win
RACE 3
Morgenstern was outclassed but not thrashed when he tried his luck at Gosford on The Coast day. You would imagine that 5½ lengths off Flag Of Honour reads pretty well given where that horse is headed. As for Morgenstern, if he runs up to his previous performance at Orange, it’s all over. The Long Run has won 11 races which is a feat in itself but worth noting that she is one for one here at Parkes. Swagger is a player if he comes.
Bet: Morgenstern to win
RACE 4
Choice Deel, the horse originally housed at Warwick Farm with the name Great Tye (as in Angland). Fast forward to the present and son of Dundeel calls Orange home at Peter Cornish HQ. The horse is racing well out west, that much is obvious given that he is a last start winner and an impressive one at that. East Harlem has won one from four and while unplaced in the other three, he has some excuses. Trainer’s found the perfect race for him.
Bet: Choice Deel to win, quinella 1,4
RACE 5
Fashionista was bred by her part-owner Sky Racing presenter John Gatfield who also bred Salsonic by the way. As for this daughter of Denman, she has finished third twice in her seven starts and has been good enough in most of her other runs. Finds a very suitable and winnable race here. Camp Cove remains winless after 44 starts but she has placed 14 times and frankly, outside of Fasionista, it’s a bit of a lottery. Heza Wise Guy has drawn well. Tasmanian-bred Lumin is a potential improver.
Bet: Fashionista to win, Camp Cove to place
RACE 6
My Mirka was ‘50×9’ going into that Narormine Maiden on April 20 and even through she was $11 to $15, her win wasn’t altogether a shock, certainly not at least for her trainer David Smith who always felt that she had/has something. Now we all know and it’s worth noting that the horse that ran second (Neddy) came out and won at Muswellbrook seven days later. Sea Princess has finished on the podium at 10 of her 20 starts. Drawn out but still very much in contention. Starlink and the 94-starter Petain are in the mix.
Bet: My Mirka to win
RACE 7
Deel Street is a very consistent mare. The daughter of Dundeel has five wins and nine placings from 28 starts. So far as this current campaign is concerned, she goes into Sunday’s Parkes Cup fourth-up so presumably at her peak and off the back of placings in the Diggers Cup and Gooree Cup. Osman was too bad to be true when more or less eased down late on last weekend’s Gooree Cup at Mudgee. We all have bad days. Kiptanui is a major player but he’s also got a nom in for Wednesday in town.
Bet: Deel Street to win
RACE 8
Hello Jack is a Scott Collings trained four-year-old heading out to Parkes for the first time on Sunday with a great draw and a very good jockey (Nick Heywood). Best of all, the son of Super One is a last start winner – an easy one too. Has to go Class 1 to Class 2 but he is in great nick. Barcoo River was fantastic from the wide draw and a long way back at Dubbo. Might have to do it all again given the barrier situation again on Sunday. Charm Factor was hugely impressive at Bathurst.
Bet: Hello Jack to win