As he gets older, Temple of Boom is also getting a little wiser and trainer Tony Gollan admits it is hard to get a handle on him ahead of his next Group One task.
The winner of the 2012 Galaxy, Temple of Boom is among the outsiders for Saturday’s BTC Cup (1200m) which will be his 20th start at the elite level.
The rising nine-year-old finished sixth behind Srikandi in the Group Two Victory Stakes two weeks ago at his first run back from a spring campaign.
“He is cunning these days and it was hard to line him up going into the Victory Stakes,” Gollan said.
“We missed a jump-out with him because of the rain and I always suspected he might have been a bit soft.”
“I was far from disappointed with his effort. It was only the last 100 metres that he tired in the Victory Stakes. He will be a much fitter horse on Saturday.”
Temple Of Boom has run in the BTC Cup three times without running a place.
But Gollan said there had been excuses each time and Temple of Boom’s work had been better this week.
The gelding ran fourth in last year’s BTC Cup and went on to finish second in both the Doomben 10,000 and Stradbroke Handicap.
Our Boy Malachi is the $2.50 favourite ahead of Srikandi at $4 with Time For War and Trust In A Gust scratched on race eve.
Gollan says he is also expecting an improved run from Alma’s Fury in the Group Three BRC Sprint (1350m).
Alma’s Fury was ninth in the Victory Stakes at his first start since he finished out of the money in the Railway Stakes in Perth in November.
Brisbane’s premier trainer also has Thousand Guineas runner-up Traveston Girl in the Juanmo Stakes.
“She has finally drawn a good barrier (3) and I think she will be right in the finish on Saturday,” he said.
