Novak Hard To Beat After Draw

My Hepburn produced the fastest first and second splits in Tuesday's Beast Unleashed Gosford Cup heats but trainer Susan Smith believes the box draw has made it hard for her to beat Zipping Novak.

The Jason Magri-trained Zipping Novak, a risky beginner, came out running from box two and led all the way to win his heat in a best of the night 29.03, after recording a first split of 4.41 and a second section of 16.51.

My Hepburn began brilliantly from box one to lead throughout in 29.22, reeling off a 4.27 first split and a 16.46 second section.

My Hepburn's two early splits were the quickest of the four heats and under normal circumstances, she would be well suited in box eight.

But her trainer Susan Smith admitted: "I don't think she can beat Zipping Novak now that he has got box one.

"But I'm proud of My Hepburn and although she has been winning at Wentworth Park, she is better suited at Gosford because the 515m there is an easier run than the 520 at Wenty.

"My Hepburn has been thriving so much her weight recently crept up to 29kg so I was pleased when I got her down to 28.8 for her heat of the Gosford Cup.

"But I'll be even happier and think she can go a bit better if I can have her at 28.6 for the Cup final next Tuesday night.''

Mortified could be the best value finalist in the Gosford Cup as trainer CHRIS O'Brien expects her to be improved by her tiring second, beaten a length, in Rocket Riot's 29.38 heat.

"When she came back from racing in Melbourne in November she was dehydrated and had a problem with her back,'' O'Brien said.

"Mortified is back to her best now and although she and her sister Quantifiable had post to post and box to box trials at Gosford before the heats they both probably needed the full 515m hit out last Tuesday night.

"Quantifiable, who chased home Eyes To Eyes in her heat, has drawn awkwardly in box six in the final but I like the way Mortified is positioned, in box two.''

Grafton trainer Mark Moroney will use Thursday's Albion Park appearances of siblings She Is Fire, Fire Paws and Jeremiah Fire to gauge whether they are ready to tackle January's Wentworth Park group one age classics.

She Is Fire has won her past four races over 411m at Casino and 350m at Grafton, three of them in the best time of the day.

Fire Paws has won four from nine races while Jeremiah Fire, winner of the Jacaranda Maiden Classic at Grafton, has scored at two from 11 outings.

"Fire Paws has always been the quickest while Jeremiah Fire is starting to look more and more like a stayer of the future,'' Moroney said.

"But She Is Fire is just a real race bitch, in her last win at Casino on CHRIStmas Eve she got knocked from pillar to post yet still came on and won.

"What's most exciting about these youngsters is that they will be even better suited over 520m.

"I have trialled them over that distance at Albion Park and Fire Paws clocked 30.19 and Jeremiah Fire 30.25, while She Is Fire went up with the lids and was completely lost before recording 30.70.

"Depending on how they go over 520m at Albion Park in Thursday night's heats of the Queensland Futurity and Queensland Derby, I am toying with the idea of bringing them to Sydney for the heats of the National Futurity and National Derby on January 12.

"I'm not surprised they are strong because their mother Sweet Fire All finished fourth to Just Terms in the Newcastle Cup over 715m at The Gardens in 2019 and reached the final of the 720m Sydney Cup at Wentworth Park.

"Sweet Fire All was from the first litter whelped by my bitch Tick Away Fire, whose progeny have now won over $900,000.''

Remarkably, each of Moroney's succession of top notchers, including stud dog Fire Legend, who won 54 races and $360,000, descend from his foundation bitch Fire Crisis, who cost him a mere $350 as a puppy.