Chillemi wary of Hunter

TENNESSEE Boy was a dominant Pallarenda Stakes winner in October last year but master trainer Roy Chillemi believes the unbeaten Clever Hunter is the horse to beat today at Cluden Park.

The pair of Far North youngsters are two of the smarter two-year-old’s in north Queensland and are yet to meet each other on race day.

Tennessee Boy was gelded between his first career run, which he won by 3.5 lengths, and his second, which was in the last week of December.

Second-up, Tennessee Boy, in his first effort as a gelding, was sent out a $1.40 favourite, but was rolled by Which Lily.

The Trevor Rowe-trained Clever Hunter has taken all before him, winning on both his trips to the races in impressive fashion.

Chillemi, who wins the Townsville trainers premiership for fun across his career, says Tennessee Boy’s work has been sound since his last trip south in late December.

“He is going all right,” Chillemi said. “We will see how it all goes on Wednesday, but his work has been good.”

The Aquis Farm-bred Tennessee Boy has a two-kilogram swing on the Cannon Parkbased Clever Hunter and Chillemi thinks the Rowe horse is the one to beat today.

“There was a lot of green horses in that first race that Tennessee Boy won but this thing of Trevor’s seems to be going well,” Chillemi said.

“If we beat Trevor’s horse, we will win the race, but he will be hard to beat. Trevor Rowe’s horse seems to be very smart.”

Chillemi also has stablemate Soluminate in today at Cluden Park, with stable rider Wanderson D’Avila on board, who also rides Tennessee Boy.

Former Cairns-based hoop Michael Murphy makes a rare north Queensland trip today, with three rides at Townsville.