Hilton’s Bold move paves the way for Epsom goal
TOOWOOMBA trainer Norm Hilton is adamant Bold Glance is still on track for next month’s Group 1 Epsom Handicap even though the sevenyear-old is set to stay home this weekend.
Hilton planned to run Bold Glance in this Saturday’s Group 3 Tramway Handicap (1400m) at Warwick Farm but will divert back to a 1350m open handicap at Doomben instead.
Hilton said this was to make sure Bold Glance was at his peak for his October 6 grand final.
‘‘We will just stay home seeing the race is here and it will be a bit easier for the horse,’’ Hilton said. ‘‘I would just like him to try get a bit more confidence before we go back to Sydney and put a bit of money in the bank as well.’’
Hilton said Bold Glance will return to Sydney for the George Main Stakes on September 22 ahead of the testing Epsom mile on October 6.
The son of Sequalo needs to find a few lengths on his solid sixth in the Warwick Stakes to be competitive later in the spring but Hilton backed his stable star to do just that.
‘‘He only got beaten 2.2 lengths in a pretty hot field in the Warwick Stakes and they ran along a bit,’’ he said. ‘‘There is still room for improvement and he was a month between races going into that and was only about 80 per cent fit.
‘‘The George Main is weight-for-age and he is probably not suited in that company but it will be another stepping stone towards the Epsom.’’
As for this weekend, Hilton is wary of just one horse. ‘‘Solzhenitsyn is pretty handy but if we are going to do what we think we are going to do then he should win this really,’’ he added.