Hawkesbury Thursday preview: Doyle has Motive for milestone
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Newcastle trainer Nathan Doyle is on the cusp of 300 career winners and can bring up the milestone this week, possibly at Hawkesbury.
Doyle currently sits on 297 winners and can make a winning start to the day with Hidden Motive in the opening race, the 2YO Maiden Plate (1100m).
The son of Capitalist and Group 1 winner Secret Agenda showed his talent in the early two-year-old trials and a fourth in the Breeders Plate last spring.
He returned with a close second to Aerodrome at Warwick Farm on April 16 before a third to Grand Eagle at Randwick 10 days later.
'He ran a super race first-up when he and Aerodrome went head-and-head the whole way,' said David Dyson, racing manager for Nathan Doyle.
The Form: Complete NSW Racing thoroughbred form, including video replays and all you need to know about every horse, jockey and trainer. Find a winner here!
'They cleared out and beat the others by a fair way so it was a very good performance in defeat.
'He may have raced a little flat at Randwick last start with only 10 days between runs.
'He now drops back to provincial grade and I think we have found a very suitable race for him to open his winning account.
'He hasn't drawn too badly in barrier eight. He rolls forward and puts himself on speed so he'll certainly give a good account of himself.'
Queen's Rhapsody has also shown plenty of ability in her short career with four second placings from as many starts and all in metropolitan company.
The daughter of So You Think only joined Doyle's stable earlier this year and is looking to kick off her preparation on a winning note in the 3YO Maiden Handicap (1100m).
'If you look at the horses she has finished behind – Sakima, Flying For Fun, Gerringong and Crepe Myrtle – if they were in a race like this, they are winning and winning quite convincingly,' said Dyson.
'We all know horses are a confidence animal and it would be nice to see her knock one off at the start of the preparation and she if she can improve through it.
The three-year-old has been very good in winning both recent trials, the latest by over a length from Renoir at Newcastle on May 7.
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'She was very sharp in her first trial and Nathan wanted to give her a solid hit out in her second one with this race in mind,' Dyson.
'He wanted her to win the trial and give her that confidence heading into the race.
'We expect her to acquit herself very well.'
Caltsar kicked off his career with a smart win from Proclivity in a Midway Maiden on a heavy track at Newcastle on April 23 and can make it two in-a-row should he start in the Midway Benchmark 64 Handicap (1600m).
'He's a lovely horse. The penny still hasn't quite dropped and is learning as he goes along but in 12 months, I think he could be something quite good,' Dyson said.
'It took him a long time to get to top gear but once he did, he really put them away in a couple of bounds.
'If he keep improving, he's going to be metropolitan standard.
'He's also in at Scone on Friday in a Class 1 over the mile where he has drawn barrier five.
'Nathan and his connections will weigh up both options.'
Doyle also has another new stable addition, Owen County, in the same race.
'It says eleventh out of twelve in the form (but) he got held up and it took his momentum away completely,' Dyson said.
'If he can keep his momentum up this week over the mile, he will run an improved race but when he gets to 2000m is when we will see him perform at his best.'
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Trainer John Sargent was pleased to see a much improved performance from Ocean Diva last time out and expects her to figure prominently again at Hawkesbury.
The four-year-old contacted the off-side gate on jumping and was always well back when resuming at Goulburn but was back to her true form when a nose second behind Dreamdeel after leading over the mile at Gosford on April 25.
'That was more like it. She just needs a run of two to get fit,' said John Sargent.
'I thought she just about won that day, she just got nabbed on the line and she has improved with that run.'
Ocean Diva stays at the 1600m when she contests the Midway Benchmark 64 Handicap.
'She will be on speed in the running. From the inside draw, she will either lead or trail and obviously, she likes the sting out of the track too,' he said.
'I expect a good run from her again.
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Last preparation, the daughter of Ocean Park led all-the-way to win at Goulburn before a fourth to Flying Bandit in a Midway Handicap over 1800m at Randwick and Sargent is looking to get her back to town after this assignment.
'I nearly put her in the Midway at Scone on Saturday but I just thought this would suit her close to home on her way through to a Midway.
'Hopefully she can go from here up to 2000m. I'm very happy with her and she has trained on really well.'
Stablemate Perfect Justice could earn himself a trip north for the Queensland Derby should he be victorious in the Class 1 And Maiden Plate (2000m).
The son of Justify followed a Canberra maiden win with two seconds before stepping up to the Group 2 Tulloch Stakes at Rosehill where he finished second last on a heavy track behind Pocketing.
He appreciate a better surface when third to Junebug at Wyong last start.
'Molly (Bourke) said as soon as he jumped, he was gone in the Tulloch Stakes. He was way out the back and didn't handle it for a yard,' he said.
'As long as the Hawkesbury track stays in the soft range, then he should run another good race.
'He too will race up on speed, Molly knows him and he's well in at the weights.
'If he happens to win, then he would probably go up to Queensland.
'He's a good stayer and this looks a nice race for him.'
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