Happy Trails will return to his favourite track for the 2015 Makybe Diva Stakes and trainer Paul Beshara is confident that his star galloper can win the Group 1 event at Flemington on Saturday.
Paul Beshara is confident that Happy Trails can record another Group 1 victory in the 2015 Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington this weekend. Photo by: Sarah Ebbett
Happy Trails returned to the races with a credible sixth place finish in the Group 3 Spring Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville on August 8 and he never got a clear crack at them in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 29, but Beshara told Racing Ahead that may have been the perfect result for the son of Good Journey ahead of the 2015 Makybe Diva Stakes.
“He didn’t actually do anything, he got boxed in and that was a godsend because he is going to go on to better things now,” Beshara said.
“When Glenn came in after the Memsie he was very excited because he felt if the horse had got out anywhere in the straight, he would have just pinged and been right in the finish.
“He definitely would have finished two or three lengths closer and he was very happy with the run.
“The horse has come home, he has eaten up and he is trotting around like a youngster.”
Happy Trails will return to Flemington for the first time since he finished third behind Spillway in the Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m) on March 14 and he has previously taken out the Group 1 Emirates Stakes (1600m), Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) and the Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) at the famous venue.
Beshara is confident that Happy Trails always goes to another level when he races at Flemington and he believes that the eight-year-old is a genuine winning chance in the 2015 Makybe Diva Stakes this weekend.
“He likes Flemington and he likes the big spaces,” Beshara said.
“He is not a Caulfield horse and he doesn’t like that home bend at Caulfield, he sort of crabs his way around and then he takes his time in the straight to get going.
“Flemington has plenty of room and he likes it.
“He usually takes two or three runs to come good and he is third-up over a mile and normally he is third-up over 1800.
“I think that he can win.”
Happy Trails is currently available at 2015 Emirates Stakes odds of $12 with Ladbrokes, while Boban ($4.40) remains favourite from Fawkner ($6), Alpine Eagle ($7) and Weary ($10).
