The response from trainer Trevor Andrews was short and sharp, but emphatic when Belhus Racing supremo, Peter Morley, checked on the progress of his promising three-year-old, Deel Her In.
Belhus Racing is the longest-serving racehorse syndication company in WA and their 2025 calendar year has been one to remember, highlighted by Perth Cup winner, Hemlock Stone.
The son of Dalghar caught most punters on the hop, winning Perth’s iconic race on New Year’s Day at massive odds when thundering home from near last with an irrepressible surge.
Close behind Hemlock Stone in status for Belhus Racing was the maiden campaign of Deel Her In, a Dundeel filly that cost Morley $110,000 at the 2023 Inglis Easter sales.
Deel Her In won on debut but announced herself as a serious Ascot carnival prospect with a devastating last-to-first victory in the Listed Challenge Stakes (1500m).
Once jockey Shaun O’Donnell hooked to the extreme outside on straightening, Deel Her In cut loose with brilliant acceleration, underlying her huge potential.
Deel Her In has not been at the races since the Challenge Stakes with Andrews pulling up stumps and not taking her to the Natasha Stakes and WA Oaks.
Morley said Andrews’ feedback on Deel Her In was positive.
“She had a bit of remodeling of the knees and needed some time out,” Morley said on Tabradio.
“With me it’s all about ability and longevity, if they need the time, they need the time.
“She had about four months off and she came back into work with Trevor Andrews just two weeks ago.
“She had about a week on the walker and started her ridden work last week and she’s looking good.
“I had a chat to Trev and said what’s the go and he said two words: aim high.
“That’s straight from Trevor’s mouth, aim high with her.
“There will be some nice races for her at the Pinnacles and a nice back up for Hemlock Stone.”
After the Perth Cup, Hemlock Stone looked sharp and ran a couple of cracking races in the Belmont Sprint (1400m) and Hyperion Stakes (1600m) at Pinjarra in May and June.
Morley flirted with the idea of going to Melbourne with Hemlock Stone, but he’s been swayed to remain at home and look at feature races in his own backyard at Ascot later in the year.
“We’ve made the decision not to pursue the Melbourne Cup thing” Morley said.
“It’s a bit disappointing because he was very unlucky with those races that were transferred away from Belmont Park
“I’m sure he would have won two of those races, but he didn’t and that’s that.
“Grant Williams suggested we stay at home and target races like the Railway Stakes and Northerly.
“And of course with a horse like him you can go to the Ted Van Heemst and he can defend his Perth Cup.”
Morley was also quick to sing the praises of Desert Whisper who has flown the Belhus Racing flag proudly in recent weeks.
The speedy Rommel filly scored her second straight 1000m win at Bunbury on Saturday and the Summer Scorcher (1000m) next January is being earmarked as a target race.
Julio Santarelli