Trainer Norm Hilton is planning another trip
to Sydney for rejuvenated sprinter Bold Glance following his impressive victory
at Doomben on Saturday.
Bold Glance,
ridden by in-form apprentice Anthony
Allen, will be directed towards the G1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Randwick in
October after powering home to down River Lad by a half length in the Mount Franklin
Handicap (1350m).
Signified filled
the minor placing a further 1-1/4 lengths away.
Bold Glance
flew under the carnival radar last season when the gelding was placed in the G1
Doncaster Mile at Randwick as a $41 chance.
Hilton has
a good interstate strike rate after his former top sprinter Poor Judge was
placed in the G1 Toorak Handicap and won the G3 Chatham Stakes during the 2010
Melbourne spring carnival.
Bold Glance
subsequently endured a host of problems following his third to Sacred Choice in
last year's Doncaster Mile.
"He put
in a couple of poor runs during the winter after he came back from his Doncaster
run and I knew there was something wrong," Hilton said.
"We discovered
he had a few bone chips floating around in his fetlocks and he underwent surgery
to clean them out."
However, all was still not well with Bold Glance
when he returned for the Gold Coast Stakes in March.
"He made a gurgling noise and at that
stage I was thinking about retiring him because he's been such a good horse to
us," Hilton said.
"But my vet said the throat operation was a fairly simple
procedure and there was no reason why he couldn't keep racing once it was
done."
Hilton
noticed Bold Glance had improved noticeably following his previous run when third
to Adnocon in the Listed Ascot Handicap at Eagle Farm and expected a better
performance at Doomben.
"Since his last run he has just improved
so much. He has been so well within himself," Hilton said.
"He was in an awkward spot and there was
no run for him in the straight for a while.
"But the jockey was patient. He just
waited and waited and waited … and when the gap came the horse was ready and
good enough to take advantage of it."
Allen's win continued his great recent run
after collecting a haul of five winners in town earlier this month.
"I was frustrated when I was held up for
a run. I had to wait for the gap," Allen said.
"When the run eventually came, he did
take two or three strides to get going, but when he did he really took off. He
felt enormous and was very strong on the line.
Racing Queensland webnews July 28
Photo: Trackside Photography
