HRNSW/Brett Atkinsﾠ
INTER Dominion winner Don Hugo is building beautifully towards his Miracle Mile assault.
Trainer-driver Luke McCarthy took the five-year-old to Menangle to “sharpen-up” with a workout between races yesterday (Tuesday) and he clocked a stunning 53.2sec last half.
“It’ll be three weeks since the Hunter Cup when he steps out this weekend and it’s something I normally do with my good horses before big Menangle races,” McCarthy said.
“He only gallops at home, so it was the first time he’d had the hopples on since Melbourne.
“He felt terrific, really sharp. He showed through the Inter Dominion how he thrived with racing, so we’ve got the free-for-all this week, into the qualifying and the Miracle Mile the week after."
Don Hugo loves Menangle, having won the Inter Dominion final and also last September’s TAB Eureka at the track.
He returns to the same distance as both those mega races (2300m) when he clashes with NZ’s best pacer, Its Merlin, in Saturday night’s Ultra Air free-for-all.
Don Hugo (gate two) is a $1.60 favourite despite drawing outside of Its Merlin, who is $2.90 from the pole.
“It’ll be a good race. He’s won a lot of good races Merlin and he’s been here (Menangle) and won before, too,” McCarthy said. “You’ve got to respect any horse a great trainer like Barry Purdon brings across.”
McCarthy concedes just making the Miracle Mile field won’t be easy against such a strong even group of contenders.
“Leap To Fame is obviously a bit of a standout, but the group behind him is terrific. There’s some real depth and not a lot between them,” he said.
“The (qualifying) sprints next week will be really strong.”
Leap To Fame is trying to become the first to book a Miracle Mile start when he tackles Friday night’s $100,000 Group 1 Newcastle Mile.
McCarthy revealed his star mare Eye Keep Smiling, who smashed the clock winning at Menangle last Saturday, would also get her chance against the boys in the qualifying sprints.
“She’s in the zone and went super last weekend,” he said. “She’s earned a go at it and I know she’ll follow any speed and still be there at the finish.”
McCarthy is also excited about his latest stable addition, former Victorian three-year-old Hesitate.
After galloping and losing all chance at his first run for the stable last Saturday week at Menangle, Hesitate put it all together for a sparkling 1min51.2sec mile win at the same track yesterday (Tuesday).
“I hadn’t had him long enough to learn about him for that first run, but I put the hopple pins in this time and he was good as gold,” he said.
“He’s very, very fast and a lovely horse to have join the team.
“I know this will be a strong Derby where Always Hot and Fate Awaits look like the two big guns, but give this horse the right run and he’ll be right there with him given his speed.”
