Co-trainer Grant Williams is looking forward to getting consistent galloper Starry Heights out to a staying trip in Sunday’s Blue Spec Drilling-Boulder Cup (2116m) at Kalgoorlie.
The five-year-old flooded home to finish a credible second in the Coolgardie Cup (1760m) earlier this month and stamp his credentials as a key Boulder Cup chance.
Sunday’s Listed feature will be the first time Starry Heights has raced beyond 2000m and Grant Williams said he expected the longer trip would bring out the gelding’s best racing manners following the Coolgardie Cup effort.
“You have to try not to get him off the bridle too early because if you do he doesn’t have that sprint,” Williams told TABradio.
“You have to kid him into getting back travelling.
“Willie (Pike) didn’t have anything flowing into it where he could’ve tracked into it nicely.
“We’ve always thought he would be good over a trip and hopefully when we step him up to these races we don’t have that problem with him.”
Admiration Express, who won the Coolgardie Cup, is the only other runner in single figures at $4.
Williams will be hoping to score back-to-back wins at Kalgoorlie with Colossal in the Tom Sayers Memorial Sprint (1300m), which he described as a good race for the galloper.
Meanwhile, Williams is happy to press on with star mare Alsephina’s Melbourne campaign, following her third placing in last week’s Let’s Elope Stakes (1400m).
Williams said he was thrilled with Alsephina’s effort behind Grinzinger Belle and was happy to go next Friday’s Stocks Stakes (1600m).
“She pulled up really well,” he said.
“She didn’t travel over that well.
“We were driving to Flemington with our fingers crossed and hoping we weren’t doing the wrong thing by her.
“She’s in really good nick.”
