Wild Belle hasn’t delivered her best of late, but trainer Luke Fernie is optimistic that the talented mare can bounce back when she resumes in the Listed Beaufine Stakes (1000m) at Pinjarra this weekend.

The five-year-old’s early 2023 campaign included wins in the Miss Andretti Stakes and Rock Magic Stakes, but she later struggled in the Quokka and failed to fire in two Melbourne Group 3 races.

Despite being unplaced in her last three starts, Fernie says the mare is moving the best she has in months and expects her to run well fresh.

“She wouldn’t be going to the races if she wasn’t where she needed to be,” he told Tabradio.

“Her work behind the scenes on a soft track and even a heavy track has been much superior to what it was when she was flying before.”

“We trotted her up in front of the vets the other day and they said it was the soundest they’ve seen her moving.”

Wild Belle, a three-time winner first-up, has been in work for nearly four months and returns without a public trial. She’ll be partnered by Chris Parnham from barrier three.

“I don’t think fitness will be an issue,” Fernie said.

“You sort of screw your face up every time you draw the inside down the Pinjarra straight, but it doesn’t seem to be too much of an issue at the minute.”

Topweight Repossession leads the betting, firming to $2.30 under Brad Parnham, while Toropa and Final Siren are also well-supported.

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