Mornington trainer Matt Laurie believes Blue Diamond Stakes fancy The Travelling Man could be his dream horse.
The 32-year-old got his trainer’s licence eight years ago and is both nervous and excited about having his first Group One runner in Victoria’s $1 million premier two-year-old race at Caulfield on Saturday.
“The reason I have been training is to try and find a horse like this,” Laurie said.
“This is the race we have aimed him at and it will be dream come true if he can win it.”
A son of Mossman, The Travelling Man cost Laurie $NZ80,000 but he is already looking a cheap buy.
After placing fourth in the Debutants Stakes at his first start in October he won his second, last month’s Blue Diamond Preview, when leading all the way.
He has already earned $65,000 but would bank almost 10 times that if he can win the Diamond.
Laurie may lack the years of experience of some his rival trainers but has never wavered from his plan to make the Preview The Travelling Man’s only Blue Diamond lead-up run.
Only Reaan (2008) has plotted the same path to Blue Diamond success.
However the cards are falling into place and immediately after Tuesday’s barrier draw TAB Sportsbet reeled The Travelling Man in from $12 to $9.50 second favourite when he came up with gate two.
Laurie says it was the perfect barrier for his quick starter and can see him “finding a nice spot” early in the race.
“If he leads I will be happy so long as it is on our terms,” Laurie said.
“He seems to be a horse that has got a really good, high cruising speed but at the at the same time I am comfortable that he can come back and take a sit if required.
“We have always sat him off his workmates right from day one and he has relaxed really well when we have done that.”
The Travelling Man tended to meander in the Preview and Laurie said the run would only have improved him.
“He was having a good look around and I think that was probably the most encouraging thing in that he has run a slick 600 (metres) and probably done it in a manner where you can definitely see that he can improve,” he said.
“He has only got to straighten up and learn where that post is and he should be running even quicker.”
Yet to race beyond 1000 metres, The Travelling Man has had a trial since his Preview success and Laurie is adamant that it was all he needed to top him off for Saturday’s grand final mission.
“I didn’t think it necessary to have another run because he’s not a big, heavy colt,” Laurie said.
“I’m quietly confident he will run the 1200 metres no problems.
“The first priority was getting into the race, which we achieved, and the second was to have him going in there happy which he is.
The Mick Price-trained Samaready is the dominant $2.10 Blue Diamond favourite.
AAP TURF
