THE HARROVIAN TO FLY HEDLEY FLAG AT DOOMBEN
TOM Hedley watched last year’s Stradbroke from his pub in Cairns and admits it may have been for the better as he attempts to get country cup freak The Harrovian into the race this time around.
After COVID-19 brought travel to a halt 12 months ago, Hedley will be in Brisbane throughout the winter this year to watch his pin-up horse as he kicks off his campaign in the Doomben 10,000 this Saturday.
With 2020 Stradbroke winner Tyzone in the paddock nursing a leg injury, “Big H” will be left to do the heavy lifting for Hedley.
Many expect the sevenyear-old to be out of his depth at set weights over 1200m, but the property high-flyer is drawing inspiration from The Harrovian’s huge All-Star Mile run where he finished fifth, ahead of the likes of Sir Dragonet and Fifty Stars.
“You have to give him some rough hope because we didn’t give him much in Melbourne but he flew the flag, even when the rain affected him,” Hedley said of the $150,000 payday.
“We know he has a little bit of ability but is he up to those sort of horses? Only time will tell but we are pretty happy going into it.”
While he will be at Doomben on the day, Hedley admits he does have a soft spot for watching the big races from the comfort of one of his pubs.
“I am probably getting a bit old for the on-track stuff now, I like the pub TAB’s where there is a nice big screen and the atmosphere is good,” he said. “I’ve noticed at the track you’re kind of just a number, so it is hard to beat the atmosphere in a good TAB.”
The North Queensland businessman said there were “about 40” horses carrying his colours throughout the state, but he doesn’t want that number going up any time soon.
“There wouldn’t be a week go by where I think, ‘Gee I have to cut this down, it is just stressful’. But I never do,” he laughed.
“I am trying to keep myself off those Inglis Digital sales, I keep saying ‘Have a spell
Tom, have a spell’ because I have some that we bred out in the paddock that we are trying to get going too.”