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By Ray Hickson

Last time honest mare Callistemon won a race she won two so trainer Kerry Parker can only hope the pattern continues at Randwick on Saturday.

Trainer Kerry Parker (Pic: Steve Hart)

That was back in March last year when claiming her maiden win then taking out a Class 1 two weeks later.

So it was a patient wait for Callistemon to ring up win number three, some 14 months later, and Parker said he sees no reason why another Midway Handicap (1600m) couldn’t fall her way after her impressive win over the same track and distance last month.

“What helped the other day was a small field, when she comes up against a big field you can run into a lot more traffic,’’ Parker said.

“It was a very easy watch, where a lot of time she gets tangled up looking for clear running. Although, a big field usually generates good tempo and last preparation she was in a lot of slowly run races where they were crawling then sprinting and that makes it difficult.”

Callistemon, as Parker referred, always looked the winner as she cruised to victory over the Randwick mile at her fourth run in having started her preparation with three successive third placings.

She’ll rise 2kg for that win with jockey Jason Collett out to keep his unbeaten record on the four-year-old, $4.40 with TAB on Wednesday, intact and while they’ll have up to twice as many rivals Parker said she’s at the top of her game.

“She’s been racing well just without luck, she gets back in races and you need that luck,’’ he said.

“She’s going terrific, I’m really happy with her and now she’s got to continue that form. But she’s been in terrific form every run this preparation so she’s hard to fault.”

Stablemate So Sleek has a winless run stretching back to May last year and while Parker said he’ll benefit from the hitout he noted that in the spring he had his own string of minor placings to start the campaign.

The five-year-old has trialled once and though he’ll naturally benefit from the run Parker wouldn’t be surprised if he’s the one storming home late.

“Last prep I started him first-up over mile and he ran an absolute cracker so it’ll be interesting,’’ he said.

“He’s done enough work so that will give him his chance.

“He’s a little one paced but he tries hard, he’s probably looking for wetter tracks and his forte is over 2400m and beyond.”

The barrier draw has likely scuppered Parker’s hopes of having Justela in a more forward position third-up in the Asahi Super Dry Handicap (1600m) but he says the mare can improve on what she’s shown of late.

She failed to beat a runner home when resuming then finished ahead of one behind Changing Colours over 1400m at Randwick two weeks ago.

Callistemon wins at Randwick on June 21

“She’s taken a couple of runs up in that higher grade after she won a couple of Midways last prep,’’ he said.

“It would have been nice to draw a barrier, I was hoping to ride her a bit positively.

“I thought she got a pass mark there last start, I thought she ran through the line well, so I’m looking for another improvement.”

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