Veteran pacer The Trilogy is racing with refreshing enthusiasm and trainer-driver Kristian Hawkins is upbeat about the gelding’s winning prospects in the opening event, the 2536m Retravision Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The versatile seven-year-old is a smart frontrunner and Hawkins is planning to take full advantage of the No. 1 barrier by setting the pace against strong opposition, including Warfare, The Dali Express, Livura, Vincenzo Peruggia, Clarenden Hustler and Courage Tells.
Quizzed about leading in a 2536m event, Hawkins said: “He’s coming back in grade and has drawn the marble to lead. So, you would think, given his recent form, that he’ll be pretty hard to beat. I actually prefer him over 2500m, rather than 2130m. He can run a solid tempo 30-second quarters and always finds a good 400m off that. He just seems to let down better over 2500m than he does over 2100m, so 2536m will not provide any dramas at all.”
The Trilogy has started from the No. 1 barrier in mobile events at Gloucester Park three times for two wins and a second placing. A veteran of 98 starts for 15 wins and 38 placings, The Trilogy began from the No. 1 barrier six starts ago when he led and dashed over the final quarters in 28.2sec. and 28.5sec. to win comfortably at a 1.56.6 rate from Bad Round and Rock Me Over.
Since then, his five runs against stronger opposition has been sound, including a second to Ideal One and a splendid third behind Overboard Again and Ace Bromac over 2536m last Friday night when he finished solidly from seventh at the bell.
“He drops in grade after racing in higher grades at his past five starts,” Hawkins said. “Those five runs have all been good, including a couple when he didn’t get out.
“After his win six starts ago the boss (Rob Gartrell) was toying with the idea of putting him on the plane to America. I dug my toes in pretty hard and I didn’t want him to go because he is a lovely animal and is so honest. I nipped that in the bud pretty quick.”
Hawkins has two runners in the Westral Pace but agreed that Tubbs Farquhar (barrier one) and Call Me Ernie (four) looked inferior to Wildwest, Bletchley Park and Gee Jay Kay.
“However, I’ve got a lot of time for Tubbs Farquhar,” he said. “He’s quite immature but won’t disgrace himself. He’s got plenty of gate speed and we will be able to hold up early and then see which one of the better-performed horses is going to press forward. I think that Wildwest will probably find the front, and we’d be happy to sit on him.”
Champion trainer Gary Hall Snr said that the inexperienced Wildwest was his major hope for the rich classic for four-year-olds in the coming months. “He’s my No. 1 hope at this stage and it will take a good horse to beat him this week when the main danger looks to be Gee Jay Kay,” he said.
Wildwest, to be driven by Gary Hall Jnr, is ideally drawn at barrier two. He should dictate the terms in front and be able to hold his rivals at bay over the 2536m journey. Wildwest is improving all the time and should maintain his unbeaten record. He has won each of his six races by a combined margin of 101.6m, an average margin of 16.93m.
Gee Jay Kay, a winner at nine of his 21 starts, will be having his first start for 14 weeks and his first for Oakford trainer Ross Olivieri, who said: “The big four-year-old races are in his sights and I’ve been happy with his trial wins at Byford on the past two Sundays.”
Gee Jay Kay, to be handled by champion reinsman Chris Lewis, sprinted over the final 400m in 27.9sec. when he won a 2150m trial by 8m at a 1.58.4 rate on Sunday morning.
Michael Grantham has been engaged to drive the Mike Reed-trained Bletchley Park, who will have many admirers from the No. 3 barrier and with a proud record of ten wins and four placings from 18 starts. Bletchley Park has not been extended in setting the pace and winning very easily at his past two starts, over 2536m and 2130m.
