The bonny Dundeel mare Hope In Your Heart continues her transition from handy country performer to stakes-winning powerhouse with a successful 2023 debut in Saturday’s Group II Guy Walter Proven Thoroughbreds Stakes (1400m) at Randwick.
Ridden by Tim Clark for Kerry Parker, Hope In Your Heart needed to dig deep to defeat Larkspur Run (Shamardal) by three-quarters of a length, with Mustang Valley (Vanbrurgh) a half-head back in third.
Hope In Your Heart adds the Group II feature to wins in the Group III Angst Stakes and Group III Tibbie Stakes, advancing her record to six wins, two seconds, and two thirds from 20 starts with earnings of $1,242,750.
It was an emotional win for Kerry Parker, a friend of the late Guy Walter, who also trains for Jamie Walter’s Proven Thoroughbreds.
“It’s a great result. A great honour to win the Guy Walter,” Parker said.
“She’s got a huge heart; they’ve named her really well. She’s got plenty of it. She had to push her way out there today, which was really tough, and once she got to the outside, I thought it’s game over.
“I thought if she didn’t win today, she’s not as good as I thought she was. I was pretty confident coming here, this will be the weakest race she’ll run in this prep, and I’m hoping she can just keep taking the next steps now.”
Parker said the Group 1 Coolmore Classic is the aim.
A homebred for Alex and Deidre Illes that was foaled and raised at Torryburn Stud, Hope In Your Heart is the best of five winners from seven to race out of the Montjeu mare Hayaat, purchased for a bargain basement $500 at a mixed sale in 2011.
From the family of Zabeel, Hayaat is a half-sister to Capacity, dam of Single Minded (Bachelor Duke), winner of the Group II Auckland Cup and Group II Avondale Gold Cup.
Hayaat has a Castelvecchio yearling three-quarter brother to Hope In Your Heart and was covered by Dundeel last spring after not being served in 2021.
