Real Surreal recorded a comfortable victory in a barrier trial at Hawkesbury yesterday and co-trainer Michael Hawkes is confident that she will be back to her best during the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival.
Real Surreal has not recorded a race win since she took out the 2013 Magic Millions Classic. Photo by: Daniel Costello
Real Surreal spent over a year away from the races after she took out the 2013 edition of the Magic Millions Classic (1200m) at the Gold Coast, but returned to racing under the care of Team Hawkes during the 2014 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival.
The Real Saga mare resumed with a promising fourth in the Group 2 Light Fingers Stakes (1200m) and was narrowly denied a return to the winners circle by Thump in the Group 2 Surround Stakes (1400m) at Warwick Farm on March 8.
Real Surreal received some betting support in the lead-up to her Group 1 debut in the Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 22 and she worked home strongly, but was unable to catch the leaders.
Hawkes told Sky Racing HQ that he was happy with the performances of Real Surreal during her autumn campaign, but believes that she will have taken plenty of benefit from the preparation and based on her barrier trial will produce an even better string of results during the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival.
“She went super,” Hawkes said.
“Last preparation she had a long, long lay-off and she came to us from Queensland and she ran some great races, but when horses have long lay-offs it does take them a while to get up.
“She was well, but this time she has gone back to Queensland, had a spell of four to five weeks and then she got back into the routine.
“Her trial yesterday was outstanding, whether she beat a lot we weren’t looking for that and it was more the point how she did it and what she did.
“James got off all smiles and she went super.
“I think that she has come back bigger and better this time.”
Team Hawkes is yet to decide what races they will target with Real Surreal during the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival, but races like the Group 3 Golden Pendant (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens on September 27 and the Group 1 Myer Classic (1600m) at Flemington on Victoria Derby Day could be on the agenda for the talented mare.
Real Surreal has been restricted to just 7 race starts, but has been able to accumulate over $1.2 million in prizemoney for connections.
