Chock-full of confidence, Luke Fernie believes his outstanding training form can continue when one of his former proteges resumes at Albany on the weekend.
Fernie is excited by the return of Laced Up Heels and has high expectations the mare can return with a bang and add to his haul of feature winners recently.
Laced Up Heels will go up against 13 rivals in the $357,060 Bluff Knoll (1099m) on Sunday, Albany’s inaugural slot race the richest country event in WA.
Laced Up Heels scored her best win as a three-year-old when she inflicted the first loss on glamour mare Amelia’s Jewel in the Burgess Queen Stakes (1400m).
The daughter of Toronado makes a welcome return to WA racing after a stint in Melbourne in two campaigns failed to deliver on expectations.
First under Fernie and then when transferred to the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr combination, Laced Up Heels went unplaced in six runs.
Not seen in a race since Caulfield in September, Laced Up Heels worked home strongly to go past Bluff Knoll rival Snowdome in a successful Belmont trial.
Fernie said he’s confident Laced Up Heels is in the same zone that had her winning three races and placing second in the Champion Fillies Stakes before going to Melbourne.
“She’s flying and I’m certain I have her back,” Fernie told The Races WA.
“She had a good blow after the trial and will do a bit of work with Ripcord on Wednesday and that will be it.
“That will top her off nicely and I’m confident she is capable of a forward showing first up.
“It will be good if she could come back and go as she was when she left here, that’s for sure.”
Fernie can’t be any happier with Laced Up Heels, but is taking nothing for granted.
He has huge respect for Oscar’s Fortune and rates the three-year-old as the chief rival to Laced Up Heels.
Oscar’s Fortune last raced when runner-up to Overpass in the Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes in December.
“Oscar’s gotta be very hard to beat,” Fernie said.
“But, if he’s not on his game I think she’s (Laced Up Heels) the second best horse in the race.
“I don’t know if she’s as good as him because he’s pretty smart, but she’s going to be hard to beat regardless.”
Laced Up Heels will jump from barrier 13, the second widest gate, but Fernie is not concerned.
Chris Parnham has the mount.
“I reckon it might have been a blessing, the barrier,” Fernie said.
“She is a little bit slow out most of the time anyway.
“There’s good speed in it and she won’t have any issue.
“Hopefully get on the back of something and let rip.”
