Facoory weighs up home tilt or Randwick Highway for Party It Down

Paul Facoory.

Trainer Paul Facoory has a tough decision to make in regards to his promising mare Party It Down.

The four-year-old looks well placed in the Benchmark 58 Handicap (1460m) on her home track of Queanbeyan from barrier 4 and has come up with an ideal draw in the TAB Highway at Randwick this weekend where she is the first emergency but likely to gain a start.

Party It Down has just one win to her name so far in her seven star career but has shown Facoory she possesses her fair share of talent and he has no doubts she is up to Highway grade.

She was desperately unlucky first-up when third behind Rubi Air with Facoory believing she should have won.

She returned from a six week let-up with a closing fifth behind Stormbringer in a Benchmark 60 TAB Federal at Canberra on November 23.

“If you look at her last run at Canberra over 1300 metres, she had a bad barrier and settled out the back but really closed off well in what was quite a strong race,” said Facoory.

“Molly (Bourke) said with another 50 or so metres, she thought she would have got them.

“The winner then ran well in a Highway after that while the third and fourth placegetters (Neeson and Breakaway Week) have both since won.

“I think that was is close to Highway form and with the right run in a Highway, I’m sure this mare will be very competitive whichever way she goes.”

Even if Party It Down is saved for Randwick, Facoory still has a strong team engaged.

He is confident Aquilino can break through for his first win in the Maiden Plate (1460m)while stablemate Delago Serg can run very well first-up in the same race.

Aquilino was unplaced din his first six starts but had run some handy races before a third to Tis No Man here on November 11 and followed with a third to Treasure Hunter 17 days later.

“He’s not far away from a win. He’s a very nice horse and is going to develop in a quality animal,” he said.

“He’s had a few bad luck runs and it’s taken him a while to get going.

“I think he has a bit more class over this distance compared to Delago Serg and is rock hard fit.

“I think he is going to be very hard to beat.”

Delago Serg has placed third in five of his second starts with his best performance when beaten just over a length by Pontiac in a 2000m race at his last run on September 27.

“I don’t his maiden win is far away and will be thereabouts in this race,” Facoory said.

“He won’t be far off the mark fitness wise but the further the better for him.

“He is honest and he has developed and matured a lot since his last preparation so I’m looking forward to see him back.”

Anthracia has had a handy campaign finishing in the top five in four of her five runs this campaign and Facoory wasn’t alarmed by her ninth to Stormbringer at Canberra when she contests the Benchmark 58 Handicap (1200m).

“She is an on speed horse but she draw bad that day and had to go back,” he said.

“She loves her home track and she ran a nice third here last start.

“She will go forward there are a few on the inside who won’t be able to stay up there. She will hopefully slot in just behind the leaders.

“She is ready to go and will be very competitive.”