It has been a frustrating run of outs for the five-year-old daughter of Unencumbered, but Heavenly Bridges rewarded her patient owners today with a win in the Bet365 Protest Promise BM58 Handicap at Yarra Valley.
The confidence levels were high heading into today’s race as Henry thought her previous start at the same track just 11 days ago showed the speedy mare was ready to fire today over her pet distance of 1000 metres. Punters obviously agreed, with money coming late and shortening her starting price to $4.80 at the jump. The race also came up fairly weak with eight scratchings from the final field, and her class shone through to take the win eased down at the post.
It was also a picture perfect ride by apprentice Laura Lafferty, who jumped the gates and box seated, swooping around the leader on the turn and running home to claim Heavenly Bridge’s second win at the track.
“She went super today,” said Lafferty post-race.
“She jumped quickly away and I was happy enough for the other horse to come across and she travelled really well from there.
“I knew from the 400 she was travelling really well and she gave another strong kick at the 200,” Lafferty said.
“She was too good”.
“It was good to see her get another win on the board, she deserved it,” said Henry.
“She hasn’t had the best of luck at her last couple of starts and things just weren’t going right, but she had the polar opposite today and everything went in her favour and she won accordingly.
“I think the 11 day back-up suited her today, she is a gross little mare that needs a little bit of racing, so we will look to give her a few more runs over the next six to seven weeks.”
Her rating jumps to 63 after the win, whereby a BM58 may be targeted again carrying weight with a three kilo claim, or she will go up in class to a BM64 with Lafferty to stay on board.
“My preference would be to keep her at the lowest grade as possible and try and knock up another win in the not-to-distant future, which she can certainly do,” said Henry.
“Today was a good win and it was good to have her back in the winner’s circle.”