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Trainer Gillian Heinrich will have a strong presence at Grafton on Monday with almost one quarter of her large stable making the trip south.
Gillian Heinrich hasn't had a starter at Grafton for several years, but has found the right time and program to start eight of her 40 strong team.
Heinrich can't recall the last time she had runners at Grafton, but hopes to make her presence felt with eight confirmed starters including two she holds high hopes for winning.
"It's going to be a long day with horses running throughout the meeting so hopefully the trip is worthwhile," she said.
"I haven't had starters at Grafton for many years and it was jus a case of the program suited some of my horses so I decided to take a big team there."
Heinrich's main reasons for venturing into NSW was to test last start Sunshine Coast winner Daring Man over the 2235 metres of the Blue Dolphin Holiday Resort Yamba Benchmark 66.
Daring Man has kept producing better performances with each run this campaign and last start was able to win over 1800 metres.
Experienced jockey Michael Cahill was in charge of Daring Man last start and he will again ride the three-year-old along with six of the stable's other starters.
Jockey Chris Taylor will ride the stable's other two runners where they have dual acceptors.
Heinrich suggested the Grafton program suited her horses hence why she was making the trip for the first time in a long time.
"Daring Man feels like he wants the extra distance and it was the only suitable race for him," she said.
"I looked at the program and there were a lot of suitable races for my other horses so we will head there with a big team with at least two truck loads of horses.
"You always hope to get a winner or two and Daring Man and Perfect Quality would be my best chances."
Perfect Quality – a winner at Eagle Farm 12 months ago – has trialled twice in preparation for his first start since October.
The four-year-old son of Written Tycoon is also raced by Heinrich Bloodstock and will have to start from near enough to the outside barrier with the top weight of 60 kilograms.
The gelding has only had two or three starts in each racing preparation and has been taken along slowly with only six career starts to his name.
"He is one of our better class horses even though he is a Class 1 rated galloper I think he can go on with it," she said.
"He hasn't been far away in most of his starts and is normally effective fresh off a break."
Some of Heinrich's other starters are maidens including Prince Of Morocco who will be having just his second start after several trials in the Jacqui's Shoe & Clothing Boutique Maiden (1220m).
Prince Of Morocco trialed several times before finally making his debut with a fourth at the Sunshine Coast as an $81 chance.
"He hadn't shown a great deal in his trials so I decided to give him a start and he actually went better than I thought he would," she said.
"He has been given plenty of time and hopefully he can improve again on his debut."
The ten-race program will be conducted on a soft rated surface with some races recognising the individual premiership winners of trainer Dwayne Schmidt, jockey Matthew McGuren and apprentice rider Leah Kilner.
McGuren will ride last start Grafton maiden winner Hallowed Dreams in the race named after him, while Kilner will be aboard China Grove in the Maiden (1725m).
