Geisel Park mare Laced Up Heels can start addressing some unfinished business this season when she resumes in the LR Black Heart Bart Stakes (1200m) at Belmont this Saturday.
Laced Up Heels made headlines ending the unbeaten run of Amelia’s Jewel (Siyouni) in the LR Burgess Queen Stakes (1400m) at Ascot in November 2022 but her connections would be disappointed if that early victory defined her career when she eventually retires to stud.
Last year’s stable transfer from Luke Fernie to Mick Price didn’t work out in a half-dozen outings up to Group 1 company in Melbourne. Back home for her most recent autumn prep, she was placed in the $350,000 Bluff Knoll (1099m) at Albany and $200,000 The Joey (1200m) at Ascot before going down a head in the LR Sheila Gwynne Stakes (1400m) at Ascot.
Laced Up Heels returns to scale with Geisel Park owner Eddie Rigg and stud manager Conor Dunlop / Photo: Western Racepix
“She’s a class mare and races best when fresh,” Fernie said. “We were delighted with her trial at Belmont last week. Chris (Parnham) reckoned she really responded when he asked her for an effort.”
Laced Up Heels (5m Toronado – A City Girl by Exceed And Excel) was beaten a half-head by stablemate Wild Belle (Pride Of Dubai) in the 1000m hit-out and she has opened at $8 in a top-class renewal of the Black Heart Bart Stakes.
Geisel Park owner Eddie Rigg bought her for $100,000 at the 2021 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale and she goes into this season with earnings of $337,000.
There’s a WA link through second-dam Lady Knockout (Serheed) who won the 2002 Belmont Guineas – Belmont Oaks double before going to Melbourne to claim the G3 Matron Stakes (1600m) at Flemington.
Third-dam Prime Again (Marooned) won the G2 WA Champion Fillies Stakes in 1993 for owner-breeder Dallas Dempster and she travelled east to win the G3 Auraria Stakes in Adelaide.
Geisel Park sire Manhattan Rain can also figure in black-type company when his unbeaten filly Benagil returns from a winter spell in the G3 Scarborough Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on Friday evening.
His Myalup colleague Winning Rupert can notch his first black-type win of the season with Semana in the G2 Golden Pendant (1400m) at Rosehill on Saturday. She has opened a $2.60 favourite in a dress-rehearsal for the G1 Epsom Hcp (1600m) at Randwick on October 5.
Geisel Park stands Manhattan Rain ($8,250), Winning Rupert ($8,800) and All American ($4,400) alongside newcomer Aysar ($8,800). For bookings or further information, contact stud manager Conor Dunlop on 0447 434 735.
