Rising Romance
Trish Dunell
Despite Rising Romance (NZ) Ekraar) and Pilote D'Essai being well established, Lindsay Park still hopes to learn more about their two Ballarat Cup runners.
The pair represent David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig in the $300,000 Listed race on Saturday.
After a good start to her spring when second to Black Heart Bart in the Memsie Stakes, Rising Romance has gradually lost form.
She finished last in the Myer Classic on the opening day of the Melbourne Cup carnival before running eighth in the Matriarch Stakes over 2000m a week later.
Dabernig is hoping she can turn it around on Saturday.
"She found the ground probably too firm on both occasions at Flemington," Dabernig said.
"Hopefully that Ballarat track won't race too firm. She's better on softer ground for sure but it's hard at this time of year."
The Ballarat Cup gives Rising Romance the chance to break through for her first win since joining Lindsay Park in the spring of 2015 and her first since taking out a 1500m race in New Zealand earlier that year. -APP