GONE are the days when hurdle fields were full of slow flat performers looking to extend their racing lives.
The modern-day hurdler needs to have genuine ability on the flat and that is clearly the case when you look at the select field lining up in today’s $150,000 Galleywood Hurdle.
TABCORP has Self Sense a hot favourite at $2.00 and it’s not hard to work out why when you delve into his form.
He truly has an extraordinary record.
He’s won 12 races on the flat including some quality races. This year alone he has won the Yarra Valley and Mornington Cups.
A measure of his talent can be gauged by Self Sense’s bank balance – it is just below $1.5 million!
Two runs back he finished two lengths behind the winner in the Group 2 Chairman’s Handicap at Randwick in Sydney.
From just four jumping starts he has brilliantly won three of them and finished a brave second in last year’s Grand National Hurdle after having a torrid run.
When he lines up in today’s Galleywood it will be his first jumping run since being beaten in that Grand National Hurdle last August.
Trainer and part-owner David Brideoake has kept him up to the mark with hurdle schools and several runs on the flat.
Australia’s hot young flat/jumps rider Clayton Douglas has the ride today and no matter what happens he is the horse they all have to beat.
But, this is an exciting renewal of the famous hurdle race with several runners having a genuine winning chance.
Australia’s First Lady of racing – Gai Waterhouse – won one of the Maiden Hurdle’s yesterday with Social Harmony and today she has Goodwood Zodiac in the Galleywood.
This horse has been a revelation since he took to hurdling.
He had his first hurdle school at Cranbourne on April 5, winning by four lengths.
He then made his debut at Pakenham and after leading by as much as 80-metres midrace, won by 30-lengths.
Then on April 24 he won a hurdle trial here at Warrnambool by nine lengths beating yesterday’s impressive Maiden Hurdle winner Euroman.
Once thing is certain, Goodwood Zodiac will give this race real zest by charging out in front.
Big Blue looks the other winning hope. This UK import has fabulous form and will be fitter now after his close second to Lucques at Pakenham when an odds-on favourite.
Lucques is marked $11 and Mr One Eleven is quoted at $21 and both have won their last three starts over hurdles.
This gives you an idea of the quality involved in this Galleywood Hurdle.
Today’s other feature race on the program, the Wangoom Handicap for the sprinters, as usual has a huge field and many winning chances.
For mine the best hopes look to be Inn Keeper and Grey Shadow with the best longshot being the UK import Mr Marathon Man, who looked very sharp in a Flemington jumpout recently.
Good luck today – day two at the ‘Bool!
