NEVER LOSE FAITH will be looking to book her ticket to next months’ Grafton Guineas when she steps out over 1400m this afternoon at the Sunshine Coast.
A homebred for Lang Brothers Racing by Godolphin stallion EPAULETTE, three year old filly NEVER LOSE FAITH resumed at Ipswich on June 7 over 1200m , only warming up over the concluding stages to eventually finish 11th , five lengths behind eventual winner FLIRTY DEB.
NEVER LOSE FAITH showed her staying potential last campaign when winning over 1630m on a very heavy surface at a midweek city meeting at Doomben in March.
The filly was tipped out for a spell following the maiden victory and has returned to the Billy Healey stable in great order.
“She isn’t an overly big filly so she doesn’t carry a lot of condition.” said co owner Matt Lang.
Her staying ability appears to come from her dam side through SAVABEEL mare FAITH IN MY , one of two mares currently part of the Lang Brothers broodmare band.
“We purchased the mare in foal to EPAULETTE at the 2017 Inglis Broodmare sale on the back of purchasing a FIGHTING SUN filly out of the same mare at the Inglis Classic Sale” said Lang.
That filly would end up racing as FIGHTING FAITH and was a Pakenham winner for Ciaron Maher in 2019.
“The mare is currently in foal to HARRY ANGEL as we were looking to inject a bit of speed into the progeny ” added Lang.
“But this filly (NEVER LOSE FAITH) looks like she will really relish the longer trips so a race like the Guineas during the Grafton carnival looks a nice target race for her ” concluded Lang .
NEVER LOSE FAITH will again be ridden by top jockey Mark Du Plessis the same jockey who piloted her to the strong maiden victory in March.
NEVER LOSE FAITH will line up in the DOUBLE R THOROUGHBREDS BENCHMARK 65 Handicap set to jump under lights at 5.40pm.
The Healey stable is running hot at the moment courtesy of a winning double at Rockhampton on Tuesday with I AM CLEVER and UNDERWOOD.
The filly is currently a $26 chance with most of the online corporates.
