Hankee Alpha set for Rising Fast challenge

New Zealand-bred mare Hankee Alpha (NZ) (Proisir) will chase black type down the Flemington straight in Saturday’s Gr.3 G.H. Mumm Rising Fast Stakes (1200m) on Victoria Derby Day.

The Cindy Alderson-trained five-year-old earned her shot with a six-length win on her Australian debut, a Benchmark 78 over the straight 1200m at Flemington on October 3 on a heavy track.

Alderson brought the daughter of Proisir across the Tasman with the ‘Grey’s Race’ later in the Melbourne Cup Carnival in mind, but that emphatic win changed the plan.

“When she first came over, she came over for the ‘grey’s race’ (1400m), as she has got form over that trip in New Zealand,” Alderson said.

“I always had an inclination that she would be a good straight horse from a few things I saw about her in New Zealand.

“She was a little bit steady out of the barriers, and she didn’t muster speed all that quickly but was always building in her races to the line.

“That to me suggested she would set up as a good straight horse, which luckily, I was right about.”

Hankee Alpha squeezed into the capacity field as the 20th acceptor and has drawn barrier four. Craig Williams, who rode her on October 3, keeps the ride.

Alderson said the chance to run down the straight again was too good to pass up, even on one of the biggest days of the year.

“I said to the owners that you only get straight track racing in Victoria 13 times a year, and four are coming up this week, so we might as well give it a go,” she said.

“It wouldn’t be impossible, if she didn’t live up to expectations, that she could go to the ‘grey’s race’ on the Thursday.”

Hankee Alpha has since won an 800m jump-out on October 19.