SA mare back to defend her title in Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes
Melbourne Cup Day has provided some memorable highlights for the Hickmott family and Michael Hickmott is keen to add another on Tuesday.
The Murray Bridge trainer has four acceptors on the Flemington card, headlined by Fancify, who will aim to defend her crown in the $240,000 Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes.
"It's a wonderful day to be a part of," Hickmott, the younger brother of dual Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Robert, said.
"I might be a horse trainer, but horse trainers are realistically by-products of the entertainment industry and there's no better day to have your owners at the races than Melbourne Cup Day."
Fancify, a six-year-old daughter of Niagara, is back for the race she won as a $7 chance last year.
She went into last year's race off a win in a 1200m handicap on Murray Bridge Cup Day and Hickmott has again gone via that race this year, which followed a first-up second placing in the Listed Wylie Stakes (1100m).
Fancify finished third as a $1.70 favourite in that race this year, but Hickmott said she came out of that with a minor issue, but her work since suggests she's in at least as good condition as last year.
"Her work on Thursday was very, very good and on all the data we keep and analyse, it was exceedingly comparable to last year's work leading into that race.
"Her stride length, frequency and her recovery was comparable, so I'm quite happy with the horse."
Fancify drew barrier 15 for the Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes, but with Jamie Melham booked to ride, Hickmott is less concerned with that than the predicted wet weather.
"She's got wonderful gate speed and, funny as it sounds, she's probably better off rolling along at her own tempo and having clear air," Hickmott said.
"I suppose the biggest thing for her is the weather. She really underperformed one day when it was raining when the race was on and didn't appear comfortable at all.
"She has trialled well privately on wet tracks, so we just have to play the ball as it bounces, but the horse looks fantastic, she's moving well and likes the track and the trip."
Hickmott's other runners are Party Crasher in Race 2, Promises Kept in Race 6 and Cotehele in the final event.
