Trish Dunell
Helena Baby’s winning streak may have come to an end last start when finishing fifth in the Gr.2 Foxbridge Plate (1200m), but jockey Donavan Mansour believes he has improved since that run.
The John Bell-trained gelding had won his previous five starts and Mansour’s only concern heading into Saturday’s Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m) at Hastings is the Dead5 track.
“I honestly feel that he is better and has turned the right way this week and Mr Bell has done a fantastic job with him. We are looking forward to it,” Mansour said.
“I would have liked some rain (before Saturday). He is proven on a wet track, but I feel like he would go well on a dead track.
“He is probably one of the strongest horses I have ever ridden, my arms feel like they are seven metres longer after I have worked him.”
Mansour believes the son of Guillotine best distance would be over a mile and thinks he would be ideally is ideally suited to the Gr.1 Windsor Park Plate (1600m) on the second day of the Bostock New Zealand Spring Racing Carnival.
“I think a mile to 1800m is his best distance and if it fits in well he would get the 2000m,” he said.
TAB bookmakers have installed Helena Baby as an $8.50 fourth favourite behind Foxbridge Plate winner Endless Drama ($2.70), Melody Belle ($5), and Danzdanzdance ($8).