Bring A Ring Drops Down In Class For Pacific Hoists Handicap

Bring A Ring will be competing in a non-black type race for just the third time in her racing career in the Pacific Hoists Handicap (1300m) at Rosehill Gardens but trainer Tony McEvoy believes that quality filly will still need to be at her very best to beat a strong field this weekend.

Tony McEvoy-trained Bring A Ring will face a strong field, including Darley colt Suit, in the Pacific Hoists Handicap at Rosehill Gardens this weekend.

Tony McEvoy-trained Bring A Ring will face a strong field, including Darley colt Suit, in the Pacific Hoists Handicap at Rosehill Gardens this weekend. Photo by: Steve Hart

The Pacific Hoists Handicap field has drawn a number of quality three-year-olds, like Darley colt Suit, Chris Waller-trained Black Revolver and last start winner Maysoon, and McEvoy told RSN that the field is just as strong as those that Bring A Ring has previously faced at Listed level.

“It sounds like a big drop down from a Listed down to a benchmark 74 but if you go into the race a little bit, it is not far off a Listed type race,” McEvoy said.

“It looks a very strong race with some promising young horses.”

Bring A Ring has had three starts this preparation and has been unable to breakthrough for her first win since her impressive victory in the Listed Sportingbet Stakes (1050m) at Morphettville earlier this year; finishing eighth in the Listed Cap D’Antibes Stakes at Flemington (1000m), fifth in the PPI Promotion Handicap (1000m) at Morphettville and fourth in the Listed Lexus Hybrid Plate (1400m) at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day.

McEvoy said that Bring A Ring has had excuses for each of her losses this campaign and is hoping that everything will go to plan for the daughter of Sebring in the Pacific Hoists Handicap this weekend.

“I ran her first up at Flemington down the straight and she missed the start and got flattened at the start and just ran fabulous that day,” McEvoy said.

“I took her back to Adelaide for an easy kill before we went back to Melbourne and that was the race she disappointed me in.

“She ran fifth that day and she just fought the tongue time and just refused to go.

“I pulled that gear from her and she ran much better at Flemington.

“The winner that day just kept intimidating her and while she didn’t actually interfere with her, it just impeded her all the way down the straight.

“Nash Rawiller rode her for me that day and he was confident that she should have run second with a clearer run.

“She has gone to Sydney and has been really stimulated by the trip up there.

“Grant Bailey rode her in a gallop for me on Tuesday morning and he was really taken by her and said she felt fabulous.

“I think that she will run very well.”

Bring A Ring ($7.00) is currently on the fourth line of Pacific Hoists Handicap betting markets, with Black Revolver ($2.80) a narrow favourite from Suit ($3) and Maysoon ($4.80)

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Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.