01-08-2025
Expensive yearling Cash makes comeback at Murray Bridge
Michael Hickmott has bided his time with expensive yearling Cash and the Murray Bridge trainer can't wait to see him return at his home track on Saturday.
A stellar debut win at The Valley in November saw Hickmott declare Cash the best horse he's trained by a 'significant margin'.
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He's also Hickmott's most expensive purchase, teaming up with Douglas Whyte to fork out $1.1m for the Snitzel colt at the 2023 Magic Millions Sale on the Gold Coast.
Hickmott and connections have had to be patient.
Cash, now a four-year-old entire, hasn't been sighted at the races since his three-quarter-length win, but he will step out in a Benchmark 64 over 1200m on Saturday.
'He just had a little setback in January, so we gave him a bit of an extended spell,' Hickmott said.
'He'll be back Saturday, he won't be completely wound down, he's got a long preparation in front of him but he's certainly heading in the right direction.'
An immature Cash did it all on raw ability at The Valley, but time off has seen him furnish into a powerful individual, and develop some manners.
'Physically he's turned from a boy to a man, he's going to be a pretty imposing horse in the mounting yard when you see him,' he said.
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'Mentally, he's still got to learn his craft, he hasn't had much race exposure obviously.
'He's bomb proof now, he's lost all that boyish type of behaviour, (but) he's a strong colt don't get me wrong.
'Gemma (Stapleton) rides him all his slow work, Todd (Pannell) rides his fast work – he's a real gentleman now.'
Hickmott has a long-term game plan with Cash and will approach the preparation one run at a time.
The youngster is showing the potential of a very good horse, yet his ceiling is unknown.
'It's (potential) only going to be limited by himself, but on raw ability that we've seen, he's got stacks of it,' Hickmott said.
'Obviously there's plenty of slip between cup and lip, he's got to make a big few steps between now and then but he's heading in the right direction.'
Hickmott will keep an eye on his eight Murray Bridge runners from Darwin, as he prepares Motorace for Monday's Darwin Cup, a race he won as an 18-year-old with General Market in 2007.
It doesn't have him any less excited to see Cash return, who will be piloted by Pannell, and is a $3.20 favourite (Sportsbet).
'It's fantastic, obviously it's not great that I'm not going to be there for the day, but apart from that I'm really happy to see him back,' he said.
