By Glenn Davis - Racing Queensland
Emerging young trainer James Healy is hopeful of notching up his second metropolitan win when he heads to Eagle Farm on Wednesday with two starters.
The 28-year-old has been in the winner’s stall 12 times from 119 starters for a strike rate of 10.1 per cent since taking out his trainers’ licence three years ago.
He trained his maiden city winner when Critical Thinker won on the Sunshine Coast Polytrack in July, 2022, when the meeting was transferred from a rain-soaked Doomben.
Healy has been patient building a team of 11 horses in work at the Sunshine Coast and accepted with Deferential in the Benchmark 70 Handicap and Class 1 Plate while Fearless Thinking will start in the Class 2 Plate on Wednesday.
Deferential is coming off a last start second to the Lawrie Mayfield-Smith trained Majestic Boom in a 1200 metre Class 1 Handicap at Eagle Farm on March 16 while Fearless Thinking won a Class 1 event over 1400 metres at Gatton on March 17.
“I think both are very good chances and should finish in the top three,” Healy said.
“Fearless Thinker’s win at Gatton was super.
“I thought she’d run well that day but I feared she might be a run short with all the bad weather we had here at the time.
“She’s a nice horse going forward and Damien Thornton gave her a big rap.
“He thought she’d go through the grades and should make a Saturday horse in the future.”
Healy also considered nominating four-year-old Deferential for Doomben on Saturday but decided to tackle the midweek's.
“He should be three from three with a bit of luck,” Healy said.
“His first-up win at the Sunshine Coast was super before he finished second at his past two runs.
“He’s a very progressive type but he has a few chinks in his armour which he needs to sort out.
“He’s a genuine Saturday horse and I've chosen to start him in the Benchmark race on Wednesday.”
Healy is happy with his progress as a trainer after learning his craft off some of the big names of Australian racing.
“I spent four years learning off Ciaron Maher and David Eustace at Caulfield and I was with Rob Heathcote for a few years,” he said.
“When I was at school and university I used to help out Danny Bougoure at his stables.
“I’m starting to get some good horses now with the backing of First Light Racing so things are coming along well.”
