Paul Mirabelli looks back with a sense of both pride and regret on Hannah Mary's courageous fourth placing in last year's Listed Counties Bowl at Avondale.
The Cambridge trainer pitted his Dubawi mare in stakes company for the first time, Hannah Mary having won her previous start at Ellerslie in Rating 75 grade to earn herself a run in the sprint feature.
Punters didn't share Mirabelli's faith in the mare and sent her out a $48 outsider, though she nearly caused a major upset.
Denied clear running inside runner-up Ruud Awakening, rider Sam Collett had to ease Hannah Mary off the favourite's heels before making her run on the outside, eventually going down less than a length to subsequent Gr.1 Railway Stakes winner In Style.
"That was her first start in a black-type race and she was unlucky too. She got held up when she really needed to get going so to run fourth was a fantastic effort," Mirabelli said.
"She was the rank outsider of the field that day, but she's gone on to run really well in the Newmarket Handicap, really well in the Lightning Stakes and really, really well in the Darley Plate since. She's hasn't got a great winning strike rate but she always gives her best."
Hannah Mary has won just three of her 32 starts, but was Group Three-placed in the Darley Plate behind Durham Town and Shelford as well as running fifth in the Listed Newmarket Handicap at Ellerslie and seventh in the Listed Lightning Handicap at Trentham.
She will be fourth-up this preparation into the Auckland Sunday Markets Counties Bowl and will be ridden by Sam Collett.
"She's had an extra run going into this race this year. Last year you'd put her out in the paddock and she was so highly-strung and excitable that she'd run around her paddock and keep herself fit," Mirabelli said.
"She's a lot more settled this year so she needs a bit more work. She likes Avondale and the 1100m suits. With a bit of luck in running and the rain that's around helping her too, I'd like to think she'll be thereabouts at least.
"I'd like to think she can win, but it's an even field. There looks to be a fair bit of speed and that will mean the topweights will have to carry their weight, so hopefully that can help us as well."
TAB bookmakers have Hannah Mary as a $26 chance for Saturday's Counties Bowl in a market headed by Silver Eclipse and Fascination Street as $4.40 favourites, with Durham Town the $5 third favourite.
Mirabelli has a busy weekend with My Baby Rocs and Berg En Dal entered for New Plymouth on Friday, Big Dreamer joining Hannah Mary at Avondale on Saturday and Salted Caramel racing at Te Rapa on Sunday.
"They are all working up well and it would be good to get a few wins on the board," Mirabelli said.
