Melissa Harrison optimistic Mydream can rediscover winning form

TRAINER Melissa Harrison has revealed how Mydream found yet another way to get beaten in a bizarre incident at Armidale last start.

“When the barriers sprung open in the Armidale race, one of the gates fell off,’’ Harrison said.

“It gave Mydream a bit of a fright and that was why she was back so far.

“Her effort to run fifth that day was very good under the circumstances.’’

Mydream took no harm from that run and Harrison is optimistic the mare is ready to return to winning form in a Benchmark 55 Handicap (1400m) at Taree on Tuesday.

Harrison has booked 1.5kg claiming apprentice Kasie Stanley to ride Mydream which gives the mare a 2kg buffer over topweight and main rival Crocea.

Mydream, improved by two runs from a spell, is the winner of three of her 15 starts with each of her successes coming on tracks rated in the good range. The Taree track is rated a good 3 for the meeting.

Harrison is also taking The Sharpener to the races for the first time on Tuesday in the Welcome Maiden Plate (1000m).

The Sharpener, a three-year-old gelding by champion sire Exceed And Excel, is showing ability although Harrison believes he will need six months to fully mature.

“He’s a nice horse but he’s still young and green,’’ she said.

The Sharpener, to be ridden by Marlon Dolendo, has drawn barrier eight in a big field of 14 runners.

Harrison also revealed she has sent stable star Road To Summer for a spell after his ninth behind Heart Testa at Rosehill last Saturday.

Road To Summer had won his previous five starts including a Rosehill win last month and his racetrack exploits have helped to attract new owners to Harrison’s Taree stables.

“I think I’ll be indebted to Road To Summer forever — he has been great for the stable,’’ Harrison said.

“He just over-raced at Rosehill and he will go to the paddock now for a well-deserved break.

“I’ll give him six weeks off then bring him back and hopefully he will return as good as ever.’’

Trainer Jeff Englebrecht’s improving Hammoon Boy is poised to complete a winning hat-trick in the Heat of the Rising Star Apprentices Series (1000m).

Hammoon Boy has impressed with successive wins over the Muswellbrook 1000m course in fast time, settling in behind the leaders and finishing his races off powerfully.

“Mentally and physically he’s come back a different horse,” Englebrecht said.

“We gave him a good spell and this time around he’s been hitting the line really well. He knows where the finishing post is.

“I gave him two jump outs before this campaign then gave him another one and it’s all just fallen into place since then.”

Serg Lisnyy has the ride on Hammoon Bay which is heat four of the apprentices Rising Star series.

The seven-horse field features four female apprentices jockeys — Melinda Graham, Priscilla Schmidt, Kasie Stanley and Samantha Clenton.