Carnival prospects resume in 3YO Classic for Albany trainer Roy Rogers

Summer carnival prospects Hoi An and Heavenly Waters will resume from spells in a cracking edition of the $100,000 Crown Perth 3YO Classic (1000m) at Ascot on Saturday.

The Roy Rogers-trained duo will line-up in a terrific field of 13 runners for the three-year-old feature race that highlights Saturday’s metropolitan meeting.

Hoi An was a wonderful winner of the WA Sires’ Produce Stakes, coming from near last to win the Group 3 race in April.

The talented filly will resume from a spell in the 3YO Classic as she prepares for a crack at the bigger feature races in the summer carnival.

Heavenly Waters ran seventh in the WA Sires and was then spelled like her stablemate, and will also resume on Saturday without a barrier trial.

Albany’s Rogers was bullish about the prospects of both his runners heading into their first-up assignment on Saturday.

“It’s a really good race,” Rogers said. “I’m really happy with both horses and their fitness heading in.

“Heavenly Waters is drawn to get the run of the race. (Hoi An) is drawn horribly and will drop out to last and be picking them up late. She won the Sires from that spot so that’s not an issue.”

Hoi An, a winner of nearly $250,000 in prize money, will be aimed at the Group 2 WA Guineas in November according to Rogers.

She will carry 57kg and jump from barrier 13 for Shaun O’Donnell in the 3YO Classic.

“The Guineas is her major goal,” Rogers said.

“We’ll just see where we go with her after this week.”

Jockey Lucy Warwick will partner Heavenly Waters, who will jump from gate seven and carry 55kg in her resumption.

“Heavenly Waters is first-up over 1000m and she won her first ever start in a race,” Rogers said.

“I’d think she’ll be pretty hard to run down.

“We’ll keep her to the short-course races and it depends on how she goes in the next few starts to see what her target is.

“But she ran second to Ex Sport Man in the Magic Millions.”

Rogers will also have Luke’s Gold, Big Bada Boom and Island Charm resuming from spells at Ascot on Saturday.