Leading trainer Michael Young is bursting with enthusiasm as he discusses the return to racing of inexperienced six-year-old Hugotastic, who has recovered from a fractured hind leg and will resume his brief career when he contests the $31,000 Food Vans in January Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Young believes the sky is the limit for the New Zealand-bred gelding, who is unbeaten at four WA starts --- in the space of one month in March and April last year --- and is poised for victory this week at his first appearance after a nine-month absence.
Hugotastic revealed excellent potential in his four WA victories against modest opposition in restricted company. And Young is confident he is destined for the top.
Hugotastic will be driven in a race for the first time by Emily Suvaljko, who was in the sulky when he impressed in a four-horse 2150m trial at Byford last Saturday. He raced in last position in the Indian file affair before easing off the inside at the bell and moving to the breeze outside the pacemaker Nathan Street.
Nathan Street and Hugotastic were locked together over the final 600m, and neither pacer was fully extended as they crossed the line in unison, with Nathan Street gaining the verdict by a head and rating 1.58.3, with final 400m sections of 29.6sec. and 26.9sec.
“He closed off nicely in the trial with a fast final quarter, and I’m really excited having him back to what I hope is a stepping stone to bigger and better things,” said Young.
“We will be aiming for the highest and see where we end up. We will be aiming for the Nullarbor slot race on April 17. He still has to prove himself, but he is pretty smart. I haven’t shopped him around yet (for a slot holder in the $1,250,000 Nullarbor).
“Now, I’m looking for him to prove himself back at the races to see if he’s up to them. If he is not, then we will aim a bit lower. At his most recent start (winning over 2130m at Gloucester Park on April 18 last year) he had a fracture in a back leg.
“On Friday night (from the No. 4 barrier) Hugotastic will work forward. His greatest asset in New Zealand was his gate speed. We did not draw to light him up, and we don’t plan to light him up this week. However, if the lead is there, that will be good; otherwise we will be happy to race in the breeze.”
Hugotastic is unlikely to face an easy task in his comeback race, with the three runners drawn to his inside --- Captain Confetti, Whataretheodds and Quinton --- all racing in fine form, and quality performers Youre So Fine (barrier seven), Nerano (eight) and Better Eclipse (nine) are capable of strong showings.
Gary Hall jnr trains and drives Better Eclipse, who had a tough run over 2536m last Friday week when he settled in last place, raced three wide in the middle stages and then in the breeze before finishing a half-length second to Magnus Victor. A week earlier Better Eclipse took the lead after a lap and held on to win narrowly from Golden Lode over 2130m.
Hall jnr also trains My Watchlist, who has scored smart victories over 2130m at his past three appearances at Gloucester Park. He will start from the inside of the back line with Maddison Brown in the sulky.
Star Hopeland trainer-reinsman Aiden De Campo has three runners in the race --- Rockandrollartist (barrier six), Dame Valour (barrier two on the back line) and Sorridere, who will start from the outside of the back line.
“Not great draws for three of them,” said De Campo, who has chosen to handle Sorridere, with Joey Suvaljko to drive Rockandrollartist, and Ajay Markham to drive Dame Valour.
“If Rockandrollartist leads he will be hard to beat; Sorridere is racing well without winning; while Dame Valour is flying but faces a hard task against good male opposition.”
Liam Elliott has opted to drive the polemarker Captain Confetti in preference to Whataretheodds, the Ryan Bell-trained seven-year-old who will be having his first start since Elliott drove him to a nose victory over Cams Boulder over 2130m early last July. Ryan Warwick has been engaged to drive Whataretheodds.
