ANOTHER FIGHTING PERFORMANCE FROM HELIKEDEMPRETTY GETS IT'S REWARD THIS TIME

By Graham Potter | Sunday, May 14, 2023

The Robert Heathcote trained Helikedempretty came away a winner in only her third career start when she landed a QTIS Three-year-Old Fillies Maiden handicap over 1000m at the Sunshine Coast on May 14.

The daughter of Pariah did not race as a two-year-old and, in fact, only made her debut nine months into her three-year-old season.

Helikedempretty immediately showed that she possessed some ability when finishing second in her first career start, coming home only just over a length short of making a winning debut.

Good gate speed from the number one barrier on that occasion enabled Mark Du Plessis to chase Helikedempretty (the $3.60 second favourite) into an immediate lead, a position she maintained all the way through the sweep to the home turn.

The pressure was always on her though as her rivals were packed up and lined across the track close behind her on straightening.

That pressure continued to mount as a line of horses continued to snap at her heels in the home straight and, while she was able to gamely hold the immediate challengers at bay, Helikedempretty was vulnerable late to something running on from behind.

Great Aspirations ($4.60) was the one to make the most of that opportunity, making up just over three lengths over the final 350m to arrive as the fresh horse on the scene, carrying more than enough momentum to snare Helikedempretty inside the last 50m and to go on to secure victory by a neat length from the Heathcote trained runner.

Helikedempretty ($5) followed a similar racing pattern second-up, but this time, after leading from the break, Du Plessis was happy to let her take a trail in second place behind the favourite Adalie ($2.60).

These two runners held their respective positions until the speed went on in the home straight.

Again, Helikedempretty was tough, sticking with her task.

For much of the straight, Adalie was her target, but, although Helikedemptretty did eventually reel in the main fancy, by then the race has changed complexion with Crazy Brave (the $3.20 second favourite racing down the centre of the track) and Fiery Ring ($8) storming into contention to contest the finish in which they would ultimately finish first and second respectively leaving Helikedempretty, still all fight, battling on to secure third place.

And, so it was on to the run that would end with a victory celebration.

Jumping well as usual, before going back to secure the gun run in third place saving ground on the fence, Mark Du Plessis kept his mount well in touch with the leaders throughout the first half of the race.

He waited until the point of the home turn to shift Helikedemopretty out two wide across heels before settling down to the chase.

Her previous two runs had shown that Helikedempretty had a good level of fight in her … and she again needed to bring that trait into play here because, when she loomed up on the outside of the two leaders, they refused to go away … kicking on strongly throughout a punishing stride for stride battle between the 300m and 150m and it was only after that when Helikedempretty’s commitment to the cause saw her able to assert her authority and establish a clearcut lead.

The $12 chance Ashilla did emerge late, attacking the line with meaning, but that was too little too late as Helikedempretty had the race comfortably won by then.

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