McCarthy readies Kingman for his Cambridge Slot assignment

Trainer Luke McCarthy is going to be busy in the following weeks as his star pacer Kingman (Always B Miki) prepares for the $NZ1 million slot race at Cambridge on Friday 9 April.

And his hit out today at Menangle in a trial proved that the five year old is working up nicely to be considered a strong chance in the forthcoming coveted feature. In a star studded field that included Swayzee and Himanameisjeff, Kingman settled back with just Swayzee behind him.

Kingman was doing his best work at the finish as the winner stablemate Captain Bellasario ran 1.50.6 including a last quarter of 27 seconds.

KINGMAN TRIAL

McCarthy was pleased after the trial.

It was a good quality trial. I hoping they would go around the 1.50 mark. He was travelling nice behind them. He pulled up well and his heart rate was good. It was more about him having a solid mile. He’ll go from Sydney to Auckland this Tuesday.  We’re just going to have the one race with him and then come straight back.

He’ll definitely have a spell when he returns. We may go for the Inter Dominion in July but I’d love to have him primed up for another tilt at the Victoria Cup and New Zealand Cup later in the year.

Kingman hasn’t raced since finishing sixth to Leap To Fame in the Miracle Mile finishing nine metres behind the winner. Although he hasn’t won since his epic battle with Leap To Fame in the Shepparton Cup in January, his recent times show that he’s not far off reproducing that dazzling form that we saw of him when he won the New Zealand and Victoria Cups late last year.

McCarthy’s top four year old Hesitate  goes around this Saturday evening in the Boots Civil $100,000 Riverina Championships for four and five year old entires and geldings at the Wagga raceway. Although he appeared to be disappointing when sixth in his heat and just qualifying McCarthy indicated that he is ready to run a big race in the Final.

He seems good and healthy. I’ll drive him for just one run at them like he did at Melton in February.

Drawn on the second row, Hesitate’s main rivals Double Lou and War Dan Buddy are also drawn wider on the second row while heat winner Sanchez is ideally drawn in barrier two. Hesitate possesses a brilliant sprint and if he’s close enough to the leaders as they straighten he’ll take a power of beating.

Accompanying Kingman to New Zealand will be his star three year old Ripples who is going over to contest a semi final of the New Zealand Sires Stakes Series.

Caught three wide and in the death, Ripples only went down by a metre to Willows Girl in the Bathurst Gold Bracelet Final last Saturday.

She went super at Bathurst and only needs a bit of luck in the draw

commented McCarthy.

McCarthy also spoke of the latest progress of his other star pacer Don Hugo was withdrawn from the Nullabor in Perth on 17 April.

He’s fine now, he missed important work and the setback was at the wrong time. It’s too far to go to Perth when he had to be 110 per cent. He’ll have a spell now and we’ll get him ready for the Inter Dominion in Brisbane in July.

By Tony Milanese for Harnesslink