“Of all the forms of wisdom, hindsight is by general consent the least merciful, the most unforgiving” and doesn’t Warwick Farm trainer Jason Coyle know it.

After a couple of near misses during the autumn, Coyle and owner Joe Rapisarda decided wins were the main priority for Stakes placed mare St Covet’s Spirit which despite her above average ability has managed just one win from 13 starts.

The pair decided to bypass the spring with the plan to have the mare return in off season city races with a view to improving her rating and taking advantage of the healthy prizemoney on offer in Sydney racing.

“With the benefit of hindsight we may have done it a bit differently but as least we know we come into this preparation with some pretty fair form around her,” Coyle said.

St Covet’s Spirit had five starts during her autumn three-year-old campaign.

The daughter of Uncle Mo finished third beaten less than a length by Rubisaki and Golden Pendant winner Subpoenaed in the Group 3 James Carr Stakes before splitting the Golden Eagle placegetters Dawn Passage and Icebath in the Group 3 Hawkesbury Guineas.

“The Golden Eagle was on a heavy track and her only failures in the autumn did come on heavy ground so if I keep telling myself that it stops me from thinking what if,” Coyle said.

“What do we know? We know we have a mare that goes better than average and her form says she has a few grades up her sleeve.”

St Covet’s Spirit goes into her first-up run with two trial hit outs under the belt and Coyle says while she hasn’t been able to win first-up in the past, Saturday sets up as her best opportunity to prove she is capable of producing the good when fresh.

“I’m really happy with the way she has trialled both times,” he said. “Her first-up form is better than you might think.

“Last prep she resumed on a heavy track so I’m forgiving and the preparation before that was a hot maiden and she was an eye catcher. It was Warwick Farm too.

“I think she will be much better suited on the big track at Newcastle, soft draw and her form says she should be more than capable in this grade of race.

“I’ll be surprised if she doesn’t run much better than the market says she will.”

The in-form Jason Collett takes the reins on Saturday in the Guardian Safety Solutions 3&4YO Benchmark 72 Handicap (1200m) where fixed odds operators rate the four-year-old a $13 chance.

Coyle scratched the stablemate Mo’s Crown which will head to Kembla next Saturday for a 1200 metre Benchmark 78 Handicap for colts, geldings and entires.

Clinton Payne - 13 November 2020

https://www.racenet.com.au/news/st-covets-spirit-ready-to-make-up-for-lost-opportunities-20201112