CURRAGH trainer Katy Brown is hoping to run her stable star Effernock Fizz in the €150,000 Petingo Handicap at Leopardstown next Saturday.

There are 46 entries for the 12-furlong race and Effernock Fizz has the lowest rating of them all, so the dual-purpose mare is far from guaranteed to get a run. Even if she does make the cut, the recent Bellewstown hurdle race winner is likely to be 8lb or more out of the handicap.

“She has come out of her last win in great form and seems to be improving all the time,” said Brown yesterday. “Fingers crossed, she will get into the Leopardstown race but, if not, there are lots of other opportunities for her.”

Brown has only been training for two years and has had eight winners from a string of nine horses. Her most recent three runners finished first, second and third. “We have three empty stables we would love to fill,” she said. “It’s hard to get recognition. Effernock Fizz has won several races easily, so it’s disheartening to see comments in the media that her form is moderate - what more can she do?”

Effernock Fizz was certainly underestimated when she lined up for a premier fillies’ handicap at the Curragh in August. Racing from 15lb out of the handicap, she raced clear of the field for most of the journey, eventually finishing second at 33/1. The handicapper rewarded connections with a 19lb rise from 50 to 69.

“We always thought a lot of her but she had sinus problems and used to hang violently at the end of her races. But we got to the bottom of her allergies and now she has changed direction. We hope to get a bit of blacktype for her one day, either on the flat or over hurdles.”

Brown is hoping the rain stays away next week. “He best form is on good ground but yielding to soft will be fine, and it never gets too bad at Leopardstown.”