Prime Thoroughbreds director Joe O'Neill discusses tactics with a rider prior to a race in Hobart

TOP interstate trainer David Hayes will proceed with plans to run his promising staying mare Unchain My Heart in the $225,000 Group 3 AAMI Launceston Cup over 2400 metres at the end of next month.

Unchain My Heart scored an impressive win in the Bagot Handicap over 2800 metres at Flemington on Monday to signal her arrival as a serious major cups contender into the future.

The win in the Listed race came courtesy of a gun ride from Dwayne Dunn who persevered wit rails runs on the five-year-old mare and when he called on the daughter of Al Maher-Fly By Night to extend she delivered the goods and went on to score by almost a length.

The mare has been in training since July, which, under normal circumstances, would suggest she might be getting close to the end of her preparation but her owners are keen to give the mare two more quests before sending her to the spelling paddock.

Unchain My Heart is owned and raced by a syndicate put together by Prime Thoroughbreds director Joe O’Neill who has been a great supporter of Tasmanian racing for many years and he confirmed the mare would be making her way across Bass Strait next month.

“David (Hayes) said he would wait a couple of day to see how she pulled up after the Bagot win but he rang me this morning (Tuesday) to say the mare had pulled up as if she hadn’t had a run.”

“Everything now looks set to proceed with plans to run in the Launceston Cup (on February 29) and then head toSouth Australiafor the Adelaide Cup.”

“David has always said she would make a stayer and since she won atRandwickon Melbourne Cup day she’s had five goes at 2400m or further for four wins and a second,” he said.

Unchain My Heart was purchased by O’Neill out of the paddock and she is a half-sister to Captain Chaos, a horse O’Neill raced with some success inTasmania.

“We’ll take her back to Lindsay Park at Euroa where she’ll do some work up and around the hills and she’ll do some swimming and then she’ll head back to the stable closer to the Launceston Cup,” he said.

O’Neill also is hoping for more success inTasmaniain the coming weeks.

He expects Too Many reds to be a top winning chance in next week’s Devonport Cup over 1880m.

“Too Many Reds was a terrific run inHobartlast week when just beaten by Geegees Blackflash and he will strip much fitter in the Devonport Cup.”

“We also are hoping Another Concerto that won at Longford on New Year Day, can progress to races such as the Strutt Stakes and then the Tasmanian Oaks,” he said.