Latest News

Trainer Theresa Bateup will be in Sydney on Saturday to eagerly watch her Big Dance hopeful Direct Fire as stablemate Lady Yarrow looks to end a run of seconds on home turf at Kembla Grange.

Direct Fire ($31 on TAB), qualified for the Big or Little Dance via the Bega Cup, contests the opening event on the program in the Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1300m) at Rosehill Gardens.

Bateup will likely be on the road back home when Lady Yarrow leads a two-pronged attack with Deni Lass in the $5 Membership @ Wests Illawarra Maiden Handicap (1400m).

Lady Yarrow (Amy McLucas) prepares to head out at Sapphire Coast. Image by Bradley Photographers

Lady Yarrow has found one better at her past three starts – twice this prep – but has found an ideal race to break her maiden status with Jess Taylor aboard.

“It doesn’t look to be the strongest of Provincial maidens and she is very honest so I think she finds a nice race to hopefully breakthrough in,” Bateup said.

“She just seems to be finding one better each time. She is looking for the 1400m now and her barrier manners have been much better this preparation.

“Last preparation she was fidgeting around a bit and missing the start but she has been much this preparation so if she can continue doing that and begin alright, she should be able to settle in a reasonably handy position and be finishing off strongly.”

Lady Yarrow is the $3.80 favourite while Deni Lass is a $71 outsider, however, Bateup believes the latter is a better horse than the price might suggest.

Deni Lass was well beaten at Moruya first-up from a spell but will appreciate a step up to seven furlongs (1400m) on home turf.

“She will run an improved race,” Bateup said. “The run she had last prep, she was probably at the end of it before she came to the races.

“She was just a bit green and wayward first-up so I’ve added the blinkers on her for the first time. I think she is a lovely filly and will get over a bit of ground.”

Direct Fire is coming off a complete forgive run first-up in Midway grade where nothing went right. Bateup has planned his preparation around his date with one of two lucrative features at Royal Randwick in November.

“I told the owners you probably aren’t a legitimate winning chance in either of them (Big or Little Dance) but it’s a good day out and good prizemoney,” Bateup said. “That’s the plan to go there and I think he has come up super.

“It was a bit of a non-event in his first-up run when he got sandwiched when the gates opened when he’s a horse that’s suited up on the speed.

“He got spat out the back and even in the straight he didn’t have a lot of room and went to the line under a hold.”

View final fields with full form & race replays for Kembla Grange here