Gary Moore jokingly describes his stayer Dashing Special as the best maiden horse in Australia.
And the Rosehill based trainer is hoping Thursday will be the day the gelding can break through for a well-deserved victory.
And if he wins and wins impressively Moore hasn’t ruled out a trip to the Brisbane winter carnival with the High Chaparral gelding.
Dashing Special resumed from a spell over 1600m at Hawkesbury on April 16, finishing second behind Pinup Miss.
The Waterhouse/Bott stable has a good opinion of the filly, who will now head toward the Group 1 Queensland Oaks.
Moore was very happy with Dashing Special’s first up effort.
“His first run back over the mile was very good, especially with the horse that beat him, the filly of Gai’s going to the Queensland Oaks.
“That’s not a bad form line so I think he will have a good chance on Thursday over a more opportunistic distance.
“His first run back was two weeks ago he’s improved from then and has worked pretty well.”
Dashing Special, a $175,000 yearling purchase, has had 27 starts for eight seconds and five third placings.
Two of those seconds have been over the 2100m at Wyong, giving Moore extra confidence heading into the race.
“He likes a tight track and has performed very well there in the past,” Moore said.
“Glyn Schofield knows him quite well and will ride him again on Thursday.
“He needs good ground and should get that, so there will be plenty in his favour.
“I would love to step him up in grade and even head up to Brisbane, but he needs to get the bridesmaid tag off him first.”
Moore’s other runner on the program, Hostwin Shadow, will contest the 1350m Class 2 Handicap.
The Longhorn gelding raced on the same day as his stablemate at Hawkesbury on April 16, finishing third over 1300m
“His last run was very good at Hawkesbury and he made up plenty of ground,” he said.
“The step up to 1350m should suit him and he is much the same as Dashing Special and will appreciate a good track.
“Mitchell Bell has won on him in the past and will ride him.”
Moore said Hostwin Shadow was picked out by his son James at the 2016 Magic Millions Yearling Sales and purchased for $70,000.
The four-year-old has had 12 starts for two wins and three minor placings, including a third a Wyong over the 1100m.
“He is racing in good form this preparation and I expect him to take that form into this race.”
A trip to the winter carnival is definitely on the cards for Moore, with his filly Happy Every Day kicking off her Brisbane campaign in the Listed Gold Coast Bracelet on Saturday.
“The tight track will suit her style of racing and with the drop back in trip and grade, from her last run in the Australian Oaks, she should race well.”
The first of eight races at the club’s HMA Raceday gets underway at 12.05pm.
SELECTIONS:
Race 1 – 12.05pm: HMA GROUP 3YO MAIDEN HANDICAP (1300m): 1 GEORGINA GOLD, 2 Frenzied, 3 Royal Captain, 4 Lady Legend.
Race 2 – 12.40pm: HMA INSTRUMENTATION MAIDEN PLATE (2100m: 1 DASHING SPECIAL, 2 Cleverley, 3 Polished Penny, 4 Commentator.
Race 3 – 1.20pm: HMA POWER GENERATION MAIDEN PLATE (1350m): 1 GO FISH GO, 2 Bandersnatch, 3 Foxborough, 4 Sceptor Of Power.
Race 4 – 2.00pm: HMA MATERIALS HANDLING METRO AND PROVINCIAL MAIDEN HANDICAP (1100m): 1 MADAM OAKS, 2 Gorgons, 3 Pretorius, 4 Rubic Honour.
Race 5 – 2.40pm: HMA FLOW & INDUSTRIAL CLASS 1 HANDICAP (1600m): 1 SEEINGISBELIEVING, 2 Lexi’s Choice, 3 Leardo, 4 Stunned.
Race 6 – 3.20pm: HMA GEOTECHNICAL CLASS 2 HANDICAP (1350m): 1 APOLLO PRINCE, 2 Celer, 3 Hostwin Shadow, 4 One Of A Kind.
Race 7 – 4.00pm: HMA WEAR SOLUTIONS BENCHMARK 64 HANDICAP (1200m): 1 SNIPONET, 2 Ladies’ Gem, 3 Allez Rev, 4 Mightly Marmalade.
Race 8 – 4.40pm: HMA GTECH CYCLONES BENMARK 64 HANDICAP (1100m): 1 GREAT AFFAIR, 2, Hylonome, 3 Classy Anna, 4 Dizzy Miss Lizzy.
