Hearcomesthestar getting better with age

Hearcomesthestar has won six of her 28 starts with a further eight placings but has fallen short when competing at Stakes level.

The rising six-year-old has one Listed placing to her credit, earlier in the year at Geelong, and Moloney is hoping Hearcomesthestar can land a black-type win when she steps out in the Listed Hilton Nicholas TAB Straight Six (1200m) on Saturday.

Moloney won the Straight Six in 2005 with Songs Of Vienna who was in some ways a similar type of mare to Hearcomesthestar.

"I won this race with Songs Of Vienna and she was there at the right time," Moloney said.

"So, it's probably not a bad race to go after with this mare, especially as The Goodwood was run last week in Adelaide where all the good sprinters went around.

"It's a chance race for a horse like her to get some black-type."

Hearcomesthestar scored on debut at Sandown in May 2023 and has run in Stakes races every year since, finishing around that midfield mark.

But Moloney has seen gradual improvement from Hearcomesthestar as she has got stronger and more mature.

Moloney has seen it often with mares like Bella Nipotina, Black Caviar, Pride Of Jenni and Via Sistina, all getting better with age.

"She has steadily got better from prep to prep to where she is now," Moloney said.

"A little bit stronger, a little bit better, not by big margins but just each time she has come back into training there has been improvement, so to take on some black-type racing, as we are on Saturday, it's worthwhile.

"I'm not saying we're Bella Nipotina or Via Sistina, or mares like that, but they seemed to get better with age.

"They trained on, so it's amazing, that if they are looked after, they can keep producing pretty good runs.

"Here's hoping she can keep finding that little bit extra for these types of races."

Moloney was encouraged by Hearcomesthestar's first-up run at Bendigo where she rattled home from last to finish third behind Stoli Bolli.

"It was fantastic," Moloney said.

"The way she got home from the back, to make up that ground with 59 (kilos) on her back.

"We're meeting the winner again, Stoli Bolli, and I would like to think that wherever it finishes, we won't be far away again with reasonable luck."