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By Ray Hickson

Expectations are being kept in check by co-trainer Michael Kent Jnr about the return of Group 1 winning mare Vibrant Sun and the local debut of high class import Kitty Rose at Scone on Saturday.

Trainer Michael Kent Jnr (Pic: Bradley Photos)

However, while the duo kick off in the Group 3 $250,000 Arrowfield Dark Jewel Classic (1400m) with obvious question marks about both he says a display of their class wouldn’t shock him.

Vibrant Sun has compressed the weights for the fillies and mares feature with her 102 rating and she’s coming off two failures in the spring but Kent Jnr said all indications are she can get back to the form that won her the Australasian Oaks last year.

“She’s a smart mare and it’s the best she’s ever looked,’’ he said.

“We had to send her for minor surgery and do some clean up in her joints but she’s come back as good as ever.

“She’s finally furnished and matured into a proper, good looking, deep bodied mare. She’s never trialled better than her two trials.”

The four-year-old, $17 with TAB on Friday, has been based in the Sydney stable and as Kent Jnr said she’s shown plenty of enthusiasm in her barrier trials, particularly the latest where she ran third at Rosehill last week.

He concedes with the 60kg she will have some work to do but just wants to see a positive return.

“Of course she’s vulnerable being first-up after six months off but she is trialling very sharp,’’ he said.

“I know Chad Schofield is confident in how she will perform. We’ll ride her to finish off, for us winning is a bonus as long as she hits the line hard.”

Former UK mare Kitty Rose was initially set to be aimed at the Golden Eagle in the spring but has obviously needed more time and Kent Jnr said she’s been hard to read.

She won her first two starts in Ireland and has been placed up to Group 3 level but hasn’t raced since tackling 2000m at Deauville in August.

“She’s a very interesting runner. On her form profile she’s the best weighted horse in the race,’’ Kent Jnr said.

“If she brought her best she is a very good chance. She has Group 1 form all around her.”

Kitty Rose has trialled four times since mid-March with three Cranbourne jump outs and a Rosehill trial just a week ago.

“With these imports some of them hit the ground running and some acclimatise at different rates,’’ he said.

“While her trackwork has been very good and everyone who rides her loves her, we just haven’t seen her attack the line in her trials yet.

“It’s very much a watch and learn from us at her first run but I know she is a talented mare. It’s just a matter of when we see that from her. It’d be no surprise to see her run well.”

Grand Impact hit his stride at the end of his summer preparation with successive wins at Wyong and Rosehill and he’s a horse Kent Jnr, and co-trainer Mick Price, have earmarked for Queensland.

The five-year-old steps into foreign territory distance wise in the Listed $200,000 Emirates Park Kids Foundation Ortensia Stakes (1100m).

“We got him back going really well at the end of last prep,’’ Kent Jnr said.

“While he only won two benchmark races the form behind him was sensational. A lot of black type form came out of those races.

“He only had the one trial but he’s coming off a shorter break, he had a four week let up only.

Vibrant Sun runs third in a Rosehill trial on May 9

“He’s possibly vulnerable being at 1100m for the first time but he will be running on strongly and we’ll head up to Queensland with him.”

Michael Kent Jnr on Blazing Harry (race 4): “I’m very happy with the horse, I think he’s going to end up in much better races than this it’s just whether he can fire first-up with that weight. He’s a smart, progressive horse. He’s a pretty laidback customer but in his last trial he was running home strongly at the finish.”

On Welwal (race 10): “It’s going to be our hope that they are coming down the middle. He wants the track soft, he’s coming back in trip and we want to see him attack the line strongly. If he can get that beautiful run off the back of a hot speed we know he’s going very well at home and training very sharp.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Scone meeting