Two Bills flies state flag

WHEN Tasmanian trainer Shane Whitney returned home from a stint in Victoria last year he was welcomed by a couple of pups that had arrived at his parents’ property at Broadmarsh.

One of those pups was a well-bred dog by Spring Gun from a broodbitch (China Lady) that was sired by Chinatown Lad, a dog trained by Whitney and that won multiple Group 1 races around Australia.

The pup was later named Two Bills and he has been the star of the kennel for the past year.

With the Group 1 Hobart Thousand a little over two weeks away, he is champing at the bit to see how Two Bills can fare against some of the best sprinters in Australia.

The dog has amassed 16 wins and 13 minor placings from 40 starts, with one of his wins coming at Wentworth Park in Sydney in April and he was second in Sandown over 595m at his second Victorian start in July.

Whitney admits his dream has been to one day win a Hobart Thousand and he hopes Two Bills can tick that box on his bucket list.

“Two Bills is a very smart dog that showed above average ability from the first time he trialled,” he said.

“I put him over 461m in Hobart when he was 16 months old and he clocked 26.01sec, phenomenal for a first look at that track.

“He was slow to get the hang of racing in a field, but he has matured with age.

“I believe we will see the best of him over the next 12 months but he is ready for the Hobart Thousand challenge.”

Two Bills has been tried over the middle distances (599m in Hobart and 600m in Launceston) with success but that has been more to do with injecting some stamina into his repertoire.

He has won three of his past four starts over 461m in Hobart, the latest at his most recent outing two weeks ago when he proved too good for El Grand Amigo in a grades 1-2 event.

On Thursday night Two Bills will line up in the Barry Heawood Hobart Thousand Prelude, a race that has traditionally been a decent guide to the Hobart Thousand.

“He’s drawn box four in the Barry Heawood and while I would have preferred him to have drawn box eight, he will handle whatever box he is given,” Whitney said.

“If he draws box eight he will run a straight line and then move down to the rail when clear so he has good track sense and that will also happen from box four barring interference.”

Also engaged in the Barry Heawood are two interstate Hobart Thousand aspirants in Aqua Cheetah and Invictus Rapid, both trained by Seona Thompson at Pearcedale in Victoria.

Aqua Cheetah is a winner of 25 from 70 starts for more than $300,000 in stakes and is ranked 123 in Australia while Invictus Rapid is unraced.