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Source: Daily Telegraph, by Mitch Cohen
After being beaten twice as favourite in Group 1s last spring, trainer Chris Waller is keen to see his talented filly Hungry Heart secure an autumn major.
She beat a long list of Group 1 stars in her maiden hit out of 2021, now trainer Chris Waller is keen to see talented filly Hungry Heart capture a major of her own this autumn.
Hungry Heart was the first horse home in a star studded barrier trial heat of Waller-trained gallopers including Nature Strip, Verry Elleegant, Funstar and Kolding at Rosehill last Friday.
Like many of her stablemates, the daughter of Frankel was taking her first important steps towards the autumn majors and produced an ominous performance over 900m when narrowly edging out Nature Strip.
Waller was rapt with the display and is determined to see Hungry Heart fulfil her Group 1 destiny in 2021 after missing out in her two attempts during the spring
Hungry Heart started favourite in both the Flight Stakes at Randwick and Thousand Guineas at Caulfield but was unable to capture the all-important Group 1 at either attempt, finishing second and seventh respectively.
Waller will give her the chance to atone when she targets the Group 1 Surround Stakes on February 27 at Randwick.
“Her main aim will be second up in the Surround Stakes and she will run in the Light Fingers two weeks before that,” Waller confirmed.
Hungry Heart (left) winning Friday’s barrier trial at Rosehill from Nature Strip (far right).
The Group 2 Light Fingers (1200m) is staged at Randwick on February 13 with the Surround Stakes a fortnight later.
Group 1-winning stablemate Funstar was runner-up to fierce rival Probabeel when first up in the Surround Stakes at the same time last year before winning the Group 2 Phar Lap Stakes
Waller is yet to decide if Hungry Heart follows the same path after the Surround.
newscorpau.hasvideo = true; “I don’t know if we have her distance set yet,” he said.
“You just don’t know but that’s the beauty of the autumn because the horse will tell you if they are Vinery or Oaks horses.
“But she will get her crack at some sharper races.”
Hungry Heart’s only victory to date from seven starts came in the Group 2 Sweet Embrace Stakes as a two-year-old before finishing fifth in the Golden Slipper.