"OUTDOOR GIRL" SCORES FIRST-UP FOR RYAN

TUESDAY: November 5, 2024: SHE loves the outdoor life!

Hawkesbury trainer Blake Ryan claimed his fifth winner of the season when well-bred mare Heaven Bound scored at Kembla Grange today at her first start for him.

Ridden by Jean Van Overmeire and starting at $6, Heaven Bound made short work of her rivals in the Provincial Benchmark 64 Handicap (1600m).

She took up the running soon after the start, and bolted away in the straight to post a four lengths’ margin over $2 favorite Jacob’s Time.

Ryan later revealed the four-year-old daughter of five-times Group 1 winner Pierro was transferred to him from Warwick Farm trainer Joe Pride to enjoy an outdoor life.

“Heaven Bound wasn’t coping at Warwick Farm, and Joe recommended she be sent to me to take advantage of the quieter and roomier surroundings at Hawkesbury,” Ryan said.

“She is an outdoor girl. Apart from her gallops, she spends all her time in a yard and it’s keeping her happy.

“Heaven Bound is in our biggest yard with a walk-in shelter.”

Now Hong Kong-based Mark Newham, who had much to do with Pierro during his time with Gai Waterhouse at Royal Randwick, paid $170,000 for Heaven Bound at the 2022 Inglis Premier yearling sale in Melbourne.

“Mark’s wife Donna manages the syndicate, and Heaven Bound had one start for him as a two-year-old when fifth at Canterbury in May last year,” Ryan explained.

“When he went to Hong Kong, the mare was transferred to Joe Pride, who won two races with her at Newcastle and Hawkesbury earlier this year over 1890m and 1800m.

“Mark hoped she would be an ATC Oaks prospect, but she disappointed in the lead-up Adrian Knox Stakes (2000m) at Randwick, and didn’t proceed to the Group 1.

“In fact she has raced twice at Randwick and failed both times, so I won’t be in a hurry to take her back there.”

Heaven Bound is the first foal of the Redoute’s Choice mare First Tier, and her younger half-sister Double Market (by Castelvecchio) is so far unbeaten from two starts; the latest in the Group 2 Fillies’ Classic at The Valley on Cox Plate day (October 26).

“Heaven Bound came to me 52 days ago, and had been in work for about three weeks,” Ryan said.

“Her gallops for me were okay but nothing flash and her two trials were okay.

“But she turned the corner when she galloped really well at home last Wednesday, and as a result I expected her to go well first-up.

“I had a number of options and actually had Heaven Bound in three races over the last 10 days, and picked the right one.

“There was no point kicking her off at 1200m or 1300m, and the 1600m at Kembla was more suitable.

“It’s good to know we must be doing something right to get such a nice result first-up with her.”