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Like all trainers with eligible horses, Claire Lever has designs on a spot or two in the new $700,000 Four Pillars Midway later this month and she hopes both Highly Desired and Diva Bella can press their cases this weekend.
Highly Desired is resuming from a break in the Book Your Christmas Party Handicap (1300m) at the Goulburn provincial meeting on Saturday and the Hawkesbury trainer said he's forward enough to make an impression on the remaining slot holders.
The seven-year-old hasn't raced since finishing midfield, with excuses, in the Gunnedah Cup in May and Lever said an impressive trial win last week showed he's coming up nicely to tackle the Pillars second-up if given a berth.
"He trialled really well and while 1300m isn't his ideal trip he will run well on Saturday but 1500m to a mile is his ideal trip,'' Claire Lever said.
"If he could run a place or better he'd be right on target to run a blinder second-up over 1500m. That's what he did last preparation. If we're on the same path after this weekend we'll be happy."
The gelding ran a close fourth at over 1300m Newcastle at the start of his last preparation before giving a big sight in the Country Cup at Scone.
Lever is using apprentice Dylan Gibbons' 3kg claim to offset the 61kg at Goulburn, where he has a record of one start for one win, and is more than happy to have drawn closer to the outside than inside.
"It's better for him to be drawn out because he can be a tad slow away,'' she said.
"But he musters up and he's better off making his way across in his own time. It doesn't look good on paper but it's better for him.
"That was our first full prep with him earlier this year and he went well first-up with no luck at all and he ran a blinder in the Scone country cup. He went amiss after Gunnedah but it was nothing serious and we gave him some time and brought him back."
Highly Desired, winner up to 1600m and in all track conditions, is one of three horses Lever has in contention for slots in the Four Pillars and she is adamant each of them are more than capable.
"We nominated what was suitable around the benchmark and what would be competitive in the race,'' she said.
"The three are all nice horses in that grade over that trip."
Diva Bella and stablemate Grace Bay, who won first-up at Wyong last week, ran second and third respectively in the Provincial Championships Qualifier on their home track earlier this year.
Lever said Grace Bay will have her next run at Kensington next week while Diva Bella can get back on track in the Lander Toyota Handicap (1100m) at Hawkesbury on Sunday.
The mare had a foot abscess and missed some work before she resumed at Gosford on September 22 so she expects a sharp improvement.
"She ran the quickest last 600m that day in the race, and it was a good field of fillies and mares that day so it was a good run going forward,'' Lever said.
"I've put the blinkers back on and dropped her in grade, I think the long straight at Hawkesbury will suit her better."
If Diva Bella was to win or go close and gain a slot, Lever said she'd most likely have another run to bridge the gap between Sunday's race and the 1500m of the Four Pillars.
