Queanbeyan trainer Garry Clarke is hoping Oh So Adorable can put a smile on his father Eric's face with a win in Sydney on Saturday and help take his mind off a pre-Christmas hip replacement.
Clarke's father is a half-owner of the Beautiful Crown mare and found her listed in the pet advertisements of a Sydney newspaper, but her run in the benchmark 80 handicap (1100 metres) at Canterbury will be the first time he hasn't been trackside to watch the four-year-old mare as he continues his recovery from surgery.
Oh So Adorable is resuming from a 13-week let-up and is looking for her second Sydney win.
Clarke was very happy with her preparation and confident she would run a good race - a win would be the perfect medicine for his 86-year-old father, who will be watching from home.
"I'd really like to see her win tomorrow, especially for my dad," he said. "He's just had a major hip replacement, so it would be a bit of a bonus over Christmas if she could win."
Clarke said Chris Waller's $2-favourite Religify was the one to beat.
The Choisir gelding has won three of his first four starts, which also includes a third.
Clarke said Oh So Adorable had been weighted out of running anywhere but Sydney on a weekend.
He was hoping he could find a listed race somewhere to give his young mare some black type to her name. Clarke said he wanted to see how she resumed before deciding where that race might be, but felt it could be as far afield as Brisbane or Adelaide.
He's also considering a tilt for the Narooma Town Plate (1200 metres) at Moruya on January 5.
"I'd really like to think that I could be able to find her a listed race, just to be able to get her black-typed," Clarke said.
"We all know she's pretty smart, but picking the right race [is important], she's not a very big mare and the weight knocks the arse out of her.
"I've got to have a look around, but I may be able to find one in Brisbane, may even be able to find one in Adelaide, but I'm not jumping to conclusions yet."
There are four other Canberra and Queanbeyan horses - Ainzali, Hercegovka, Dure and Fiery Redhead - also entered at Canterbury on Saturday, although both Hercegovka and Dure are dual nominated.
Keith Dryden is hoping Ainzali can continue her brilliant form at Canberra up in Sydney, with the three-year-old filly having won three and finished second twice in her five races this preparation.
