Smart Wolf hungry for big-race success
HE has that good an intuition, you could almost set your watch to experienced sprinter Bullion Wolf.
Trainer Leslie Gordy is adamant the seven-year-old is one of the smarter geldings he has ever met. He knows when it is big-race time and he acts accordingly.
“When it is an easier race he tends to throw it away on himself, but when it is a tough
race like the Cleveland or the Newmarket this year, he was up for it,” Gordy said.
It is why the trainer has such high confidence in his galloper ahead of the inaugural Coral Coast Cup open handicap at Cluden Park tomorrow.
Bullion Wolf, who will step into the barriers for a milestone 50th career start, has drawn out wider in barrier eight. But it has not concerned the trainer, who has
backed the gelding to get on the coat-tails of top weight Tambo’s Heart and head infield before taking the sit on the pace for the mile journey.
“He comes back half a kilo (from a last start fourth), and Justin (Stanley) didn’t push him to the line because he knew I was backing him up for this.
“He comes in a couple of gates as well. There will be early pace, Tambo’s will go forward early and it should give us the cart across. I don’t think they will stretch the field, they will really run it into his hands.
“Justin has a feel for him, he will just get him across, get him on the pace and then put him to sleep.”
Gordy has sparked an impressive turnaround in form in the ageing galloper over the past six months.
Bullion Wolf has won three of his past four starts and ran a gallant fifth after coming into early trouble in the time-honoured Cleveland Bay Handicap.
The trainer said it came from a change-up in routine.
“I have been getting him down to the beach and getting his mindset on task,” Gordy said.
“He doesn’t need to be on the track all the time, he knows how to be a racehorse.
“He can cop a fair bit because he is tough and has a big heart.”