Once a flat-out running machine, Tennessee Spirit has learned to harness that speed under the guidance of trainer Toby Lake.
A last start winner on the Ballarat synthetic circuit, Tennessee Spirit heads to Adelaide on Saturday to contest the Sportsbet Green Tick Handicap (1000m) at Morphettville Parks.
Tennessee Spirit started out with Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr, but was transferred to Luke Fernie in Perth without a start.
After three placings in Perth, Tennessee Spirit was up for sale and Lake stepped in to purchase the filly for a group of clients.
“She had shown good ability over in Perth and was a leading fancy for a Stakes race over there,” Lake said.
“She showed blistering speed and I thought if we could harness that speed and teach her to finish off, it may work for us.”
Tennessee Spirit was beaten into second place at her debut in Victoria at Caulfield Heath before striking a very wet track at Wangaratta, where Lake said the filly could barely lift her legs late in the race.
Blinkers went on when successful on the Ballarat synthetic on June 26 before the filly got in a speed battle, again on the synthetic at Ballarat, when a weakening fourth.
“We had blinkers on for her maiden and then the start after, but that run, they went too hard and just blew her up,” Lake said.
“We took the blinkers off, gave her a couple of trials to teach her to settle and she came out to win well last time, sitting back off them.
“I think she’s found a really suitable race on Saturday.
“She’s in well at the weights, gets a claim, has a good draw. There looks good speed and she should get that nice run again and being 1000 metres on the Parks track, it will suit.”
Being a daughter of Capitalist from the Lope De Vega mare Pomelo and being a dual winner, a city win on the CV will look good.
“She’s well bred, so to get a city win, it will help her,” Lake said.
“She’ll head over to Adelaide in good order, so we’ll keep our fingers crossed.”
