Sights set on next series

AFTER adding another series to her ever-growing collection last weekend, prominent horsewoman KerryAnn Morris will begin her quest for more this afternoon.

Competing at her local track – Club Menangle – on Saturday night, Morris captured the Carousel Final with quality youngster Nymbal.

With Morris’ reinsman-husband Robbie in the cart, Nymbal was settled three-back along the pegs from barrier three before sprinting to two-and-a-half metre victory from the hot favourite Palladium.

Rating 1:53 over 2300 metres, Nymbal took his record to five wins and two placings from nine starts since arriving in Australia.

Fast forward to today’s Club Menangle program and Morris is poised to tackle a pair of New South Wales Breeders’ Challenge heats.

Morris dominates the fillies’ qualifier in numbers, with her stable represented by four of the six runners.

Scoring around the 1400-metre circuit when first-up from a spell last week, Birdsong is the clear top pick of the quartet.

Boasting five wins and a second from seven starts, the two-year-old’s victories include a clean sweep of the Bathurst Gold Tiara series.

Robbie is booked to partner the daughter of Huntsville from barrier four, with Morris to take the reins behind debutante Eye Can Bee from gate six.

A well-bred filly, Eye Can Bee hails from a family littered with Group One winners.

Faring best in the pole, Our Sweetheart will be driven by Josh Gallagher, with Jorja Daskalovsk to combine with Ferocious Lover from barrier five.

Runner-up to Birdsong at Club Menangle last Tuesday, Kvitka Stride shapes as the main danger once again.

Another bred in the purple, Kvitka Stride has drawn barrier three for trainer Rickie Alchin.

Scoring upon debut in Newcastle on August 10, Kvitka Stride then finished fourth in Penrith before her second.

Bred and owned by Emilio and Maria Rosatis, Kvitka Stride is by Downbytheseaside from the couple’s former handy mare Cherry Stride, which is a sister to Group One winner Wolf Stride.

Gunnareason rounds out the field from barrier two for astute horseman Peter Rixon.

Facet Prince is Morris’ sole runner in the colts’ and geldings’ heat, with the son of King Of Swing to begin from four.

Making a successful debut in Penrith on May 7, Facet Prince then finished second before being unplaced at his three subsequent starts, including a well-beaten fifth behind Birdsong last week.

Returning from a freshen-up, exciting colt Don Hunter has drawn to add to his imposing tally from the pole.

A member of the powerful Luke McCarthy stable, Don Hunter boasts four wins and a third from six starts.

Don Hunter was sent for a break following his brave fifth in The Protostar at Albion Park on July 11 after racing in the ‘death seat’.

The son of Huntsville has won a pair of trials during the past three weeks and is expected to be well positioned for a winning return.

Registering three wins from four starts since joining Jason Grimson’s team, Oh Its On shapes as the main danger despite drawing wide in seven.