Top trainer Hulbert in wing attack

WILL Hulbert was attacked by rampaging plovers this week, but the trainer is hoping to make a bird of the two-yearold Doomben race on Saturday with rookie colt Arbat.

Arbat is on debut, but Hulbert said he finished a nice second in a jumpout a month ago behind the Tony Gollan-trained filly Skirt The Law, who thumped her rivals in her first start at Doomben on November 12.

Arbat will face off against Skirt The Law again, this time under race conditions, in the $105,000 2YO Handicap over 1200m. Hulbert, who co-trains with dad Peter, has high hopes the colt can attract interest from cashed-up Hong Kong buyers.

The intention in an official Doomben trial last week was to show what he could do, to potentially entice a Hong Kong sale. However, everything went wrong when Arbat, who finished second in the trial, suffered interference from an-other horse in the 840m trial and was also run off the track.

“He is a nice colt – he ran second in a jumpout to Skirt The Law four weeks ago and then he had his trial,” Hulbert said. “He got knocked down in his trial so that was a waste of a trial. We were going to try to sell him to Hong Kong if he won his trial last week, but that didn’t go to plan.

“I didn’t actually buy him; he is from the Rockhampton sale and (trainer) Ricky Vale’s big owner purchased him.

“I think he will eventually need further than 1200(m) later on.” Hulbert, who had to duck for cover when attacked by rogue plovers at trackwork this week, is happy that another small field of two-yearolds will face the starter this Saturday.

It gives Arbat a better chance to shine, but, like everybody, Hulbert is perplexed as to why there are not bigger 2YO fields only six weeks out from the rich Magic Millions day on the Gold Coast. “I’ve got no idea why – there seems to be plenty of two-year-olds trialling, but they are not going to the races,” Hulbert said. “It’s very strange; I can’t put my finger on it.”

Arbat has been backed from $19 to $14 to make a winning debut on Saturday.

The TAB market is headed by Skirt The Law ($1.35 favourite) and unbeaten Stuart Kendrick trained colt Torque I Tee ($3.40).