Don Hugo winning the Inter Dom final Photo by Brett Atkins/HRNSW
CHAMPION horseman Luke McCarthy will unleash an army of stars for a lengthy raid on Queensland’s winter harness riches.
Reigning Inter Dominion and Miracle Mile champion Don Hugo headlines a team of “10 or so” horses McCarthy is taking north to chase a string of major races, most notably the Inter Dominion.
“I’ve got a terrific team at the moment, including a few new exciting horses from NZ, and can’t wait to get back up (to Queensland),” McCarthy said.
“I obviously spent so much of my life there when I was younger and it’s always great to get back, especially with things going as well as they are there.”
Don Hugo, who upstaged Queensland great Leap To Fame in the Miracle Mile, will return from break at Menangle on Saturday night.
He’s just one of McCarthy’s Queensland-bound stars stepping-out at Menangle this week.
“It’ll be a big meeting,” he said. “My top mare Eye Keep Smiling and three-year-old Hesitate are some of my other better ones going to Menangle.”
McCarthy said Don Hugo has thrived during his break, which followed a below par fourth to Leap To Fame in the $NZ1 million Race by betcha at Cambridge on April 4.
Leap To Fame returned for his first start since when won impressively at Albion Park last night (Saturday).
“Leap To Fame was awesome on the night (at Cambridge) and just too good, but Don Hugo wasn’t at his best and come home with a virus,” he said. “His previous form showed he better than how his Cambridge run.
“He’s really well again now. He’s had a trial a couple of weeks back and I took him to Menangle for another strong hit out last week. He’s as ready as he can be.
“He’ll run this week, back-up the week after and then stay fresh for the first round of (Inter Dominion) heats (July 5).”
McCarthy conceded Leap To Fame deserved to be a dominant favourite for the $1mil Inter Dominion pacing final on July 19.
“Yes, the long distance (3157m) of the final really suits him and makes it so much harder for the rest of us, but we’ve beaten him before and you have to go in hopeful,” he said.
Leap To Fame is $1.55 prepost favourite for the final with Don Hugo a clear $4 second elect.
McCarthy is also setting talented former Kiwi pacer and recent stable addition Beach Ball for the pacing series.
“I like him. He’s working well. He and the four-year-old mare Coastal Babe are the two big name Kiwis to join the stable,” he said.
“Coastal Babe will go up for the big mares races with Eye Keep Smiling. Obviously the (Group 1) Golden Girl is the big one.
“Hesitate and Mac Bon will be my Derby horse and I’ll take Soho Americano up for Mick (Stanley, trainer) to have a crack at the Oaks.
“My trotter (Constantinople) is going well enough to take up for the Inter Dominion, too.”
Photo Courtesy of HRNSW/Brett Atkins
Constantinople led and was going to win or run second before galloping in the closing stages at Menangle last night.
He won the consolation “final” of the 2023 Inter Dominion trotting series at Albion Park.
