Patience is the name of the game
PATIENCE has been a virtue for emerging Newcastle trainer Nathan Doyle as he prepares to unleash his star galloper Norwegian Bliss.
The unbeaten four-year-old mare was held back through the spring due to the expected wet tracks after the mare bled at the end of her last campaign.
“She’s a few weeks behind the eight ball because I just wanted to give her a decent break after the last preparation,” Doyle said.
“I really wanted to do everything I can to dodge the wet tracks so that was part the reason why we waited so long to bring her back.
“She hit her head at Hawkesbury prior to starting at the big Saturday meeting.
“There was a bit of blood in a nostril then about a week later she had a gallop at home and there was blood present in both nostrils so we had to pull up, hit the reset button.”
Doyle has pencilled in a return date for Norwegian Bliss after two barrier trials, the latest a 1-3/4 length success at Hawkesbury last Monday.
“She’s likely to head to Randwick on Melbourne Cup Day,” he said.
“There’s a Benchmark 84 over 1200m and it’s the only suitable 1200m race I’ve been able to find.
“She’s a Benchmark 89 so we’ll use the (2kg) claim of Dylan Gibbons to give her some relief. She’ll carry 58 and a half after the claim.
“Right now, that’s all I’ve locked in. We’ll get through that and see where we end up.
“She seems to have come back a better mare again, so everything is positive.
“I haven’t had one work as good as she does.”
The long-term goal is a potential $1m target on the Gold Coast in January.