Gun gelding eyes hat-trick

Iron Will fires up for Warwick Farm

IRON Will, the unbeaten ‘lunatic’ part-owned by an NRL coach, can enhance his status as a rising star of the Tash Burleigh yard when he looks to make it a winning hat-trick to Warwick Farm on Wednesday.

Burleigh will head to town from her Goulburn base with the emerging talent to contest the Blue Point First Yearlings Benchmark 64 Handicap (1000m).

Iron Will has made the perfect start to life on track, winning both starts at Goulburn and Moruya after being picked up online for a bargain price of $4,950.

The Panzer Division gelding attracted the attention of an ownership team that includes new New Zealand Warriors head coach Andrew Webster and has been quick to pay back connections in two starts.

Burleigh is adamant the best is yet to come as she prepares Iron Will for his toughest test to date.

“He has shown a lot of promise of raw ability and when the penny drops, it will be nice to see,” she said. “He can be a lunatic.

“He’s immature and can be a really cheeky but he will be good when he puts his mind on the job. At the moment he still has a lot to learn.

“It was either go to a Class 2 this start and learn nothing or head to town and learn a lot.

“This race has the perfect profile for him and is the next step.”

TAB have installed Iron Will as a $4.40 favourite to continue his winning streak on debut in town with the well backed Hamiki ($10 into $5.50) occupying the second line of betting.

Bush jockey Billy Owen will come to town to partner Iron Will, which will carry 59kg from barrier two.

“We are going there not expecting him to win but run nicely from barrier two,” Burleigh said.

“Billy (Owen) is back on him so as long as he can keep a lid on things, he should run well.

“Hopefully it is a step in the right direction and we can look at running him in a couple of Highways in the future.”

Iron Will will be second-up from a break after winning at Moruya on December 18.

And Burleigh said he intends to give the three-yearold plenty of race experience this time in.

“I reckon we will give him minimum four runs this time,” she said.

“He should be able to withstand that and is a forward looking horse.”

Burleigh will also head to Randwick on Saturday to chase another Highway success with Pokerjack.

The son of Casino Prince won a Highway event two back at Rosehill on October 29 before going for a short freshen up two weeks later.