The writing was on the wall for Heleva Deel after a promising last start third at Sandown when jockey superstar Jamie Kah jumped off and suggested the three-year-old daughter of Dundeel wasn’t far away from breaking her maiden.
So it was to be on a cold and miserable day on the All Weather Track at Pakenham, handing the baton to another jockey in great form in Ben Allen, that the pair saluted with relative ease in the John Duff & Co Maiden Plate over 1600 metres.
Heleva Deel received no favours from the gate nor with the lack of pace in the race, posted three wide the trip, but receiving the all important unimpeded run on the synthetic as she went through her gears. While she stargazed down the straight waiting for those behind her to slowly catch up, she had enough class to get the job done.
“It was good to get her maiden out of the way today,” said Henry.
“While it wasn’t the strongest maiden, she did the job well and despite the carry-on after the race about the second place horse being unlucky, we were definitely holding it on the line.
Jockey Ben Allen was adamant after the race that this was the case, saying she cruised up easily in the straight, but once she got to the lead she didn’t know how to put them away, which clearly shows she still has a lot to learn.
“She did really well to win, she got to the front very easily in the straight, but did seem to pull up stumps a little bit… she has pulled up like she hasn’t gone around so she has even more improvement to come.
2000 metres could be on the cards and might be her ideal distance this preparation, with a suitable race the difficult task ahead, with a mile most likely again her target for her next run.
“She’s going along really well, she is coping with her preparation a lot better this time than last preparation and holding her condition better and she won today in a manner that will see her just improve over further,” said Henry.
It’s a heleva start to her campaign with one win and two placings from just three starts, with more riches to hopefully follow for her connections.