A snap decision to change the race day gear on Endless Days has given the Peter and Will Hulbert training partnership a chance at their biggest ever pay day.
Endless Days ($8) assured himself of a start in next week’s $1 million Magic Millions Trophy when he wore down the favourite The Rumour File ($4.20) to score by 1 3/4 lengths in the Aquis Farm Racehorse Retirement Handicap (2200m).
The gelding is a noted wet track performer but Will Hulbert said he hadn’t been worried when the Gold Coast track dried out on Saturday morning.
“I know people think he is just a wet tracker but he ran second at Doomben three starts ago in record time. The worry with him has been he has been his wanting to over race,” Hulbert said.
“So in the end we took the blinkers off him and put winkers on him. I galloped him up this morning and he felt terrific.”
Hulbert said it would be a great thrill to have a runner in next week’s Magic Millions Trophy over the same track and distance as Saturday’s win.
“We are only a small stable and to have a runner in a million dollar race is what you dream about. And I can dream a bit more about winning it,” Hulbert said.
Peter Hulbert won the Magic Millions Fillies and Mares races in 2015 with Endless Shadow, Endless Day’s half sister, but that was before the partnership started in 2016.
Endless Shadow and Endless Days are both raced and bred by Stu Barr and his family of Lilivale Stud.
Game filly Plucky Girl ($5) finally had a change of luck when she won the Class 6 Plate (1400m).
It was Plucky Girl’s fifth win but she had been placed a further 10 times in a 17-race career.
“If any of our horses deserved a win it was Plucky Girl. She has been so honest,” trainer Toby Edmonds said.
“It was a clever ride from Jeff (Lloyd) in front.”
Trainer Darryl Hansen was also full of praise for Lloyd after the veteran jockey steered Bat A Kat ($3.30) to victory in the Three Year old (1200m).
“Bat A Kat got beaten at Caloundra last time when ridden by an apprentice. But he isn’t really a kid’s horse and Jeff’s strength made the difference today,” Hansen said.
Aqua Vite continued his consistent form when he won the Benchmark 90 (1800m).
The gelding has not been worse than fourth in his past seven starts and won two races.
“He likes the Gold Coast where he has missed place only twice in 12 starts,” said trainer Scott Morrisey.
