Australian targets beckon promising trotter

[Wandering Eyes]

By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk

Australian targets are beckoning promising juvenile filly High On Love if she continues to impress over the next month.

The regally-bred daughter of Love You was impressive when winning at Cambridge Raceway a fortnight ago and will return to the Waikato track on Thursday to contest the Corporate Venue Bookings Available @ The CR Handicap Trot (2700m).

“We thought she would win (last start), she just had to do things right,” trainer John Dickie said.

“The reason we are backing her up at Cambridge is to go left-handed as she may go to Australia to compete in the Redwood and then go onto the Breeders Crown.

“We have decided to keep her to the stands for now and see how she goes stepping up in class.

“She stays really well so I don’t think stepping up to 2700m is going to be an issue. She always hits the line well so I do think in time she will make a lovely aged trotting mare.”

John’s son, former training partner Joshua Dickie, is set to move to Melbourne later this year and High On Love will likely be entrusted to his care.

“We will make our mind up in the next month (on whether she heads to Melbourne) and she could go to Joshua’s for him to look after,” Dickie said.

“You have got to be good enough to go, but it will be so much easier (with Joshua over there), with COVID and everything.”

High On Love has won two of her three starts, placing in the other, and her talents should not come as a surprise considering her breeding.

Bred by Ken and Karen Breckon, High On Love is a daughter of multiple Group One-winning mare High Gait and top French sire Love You.

“She is the first foal from High Gait and she herself was a lovely mare,” Dickie said.

“I think Ken originally bought Regal Volo (dam of High Gait) off Jean Feiss a few years ago and it has been an amazing breed for him.”

Later on the card stablemate Callie’s Delight will have her last start in Dickie’s colours when she lines-up in the Cambridge Homes Mobile Pace (2200m).

“It will be her last start for us. We have decided to send her down south. She is going down to Bob Butt’s,” Dickie said.

“She will be better suited down south. There are more options down there for her. She is a lovely mare without being quite up to the top ones.”

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