WA Hall Of Fame trainer Neville Parnham hosed down any concerns over Kay Cee after the quality mare finished last in a Lark Hill trial on Monday.
In her first official hit out since last year’s Ascot summer carnival, Kay Cee finished heat seven 10 lengths adrift of tearaway leader, We’ve Got Dreams.
Ridden by Brad Parnham, Kay Cee made up little ground from the back of the eight-horse trial and was allowed to cross the line under little pressure.
Parnham allayed any worries and confidently declared Kay Cee will be at her top to launch her winter and autumn campaign later this month.
“She was run off her legs, but it was a nice hit out and gallop,” Parnham told The Races WA.
“I was almost tempted not to go with We’ve Got Dreams in the trial.
“I told Brad not to knock her around and after she was out of contention it was a track gallop.
“She looked pretty casual out there and her resting heart rate suggested that.
“It’s a stepping stone for her and we got out of it what we wanted.
“She’ll have another three trials including Belmont next week before coming back.
“She looks good, her weight’s good and she has matured.
“Her track gallop last Tuesday suggested she is in top order.
“I’m happy with where she is at.”
Parnham has targeted Group 3 races, the Belmont Sprint (1400m) on May 29, the Hyperion Stakes (1600m) on June 12 and the Strickland Stakes (2000m) a fortnight later as the main focus for Kay Cee this time in.
The daughter of Playing God won the Group 2 Lee Steere Stakes (1400m) second-up into her preparation last year and suffered a couple of minor setbacks when unplaced in the Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m) and Kingston Town Classic (1800m), a race she took out a year earlier.
Julio Santarelli