The BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes will be a fork in the road for emerging colt Gallo Nero as he faces a key distance test that will determine his future goals.
The two-year-old has been restricted to shorter sprints in his brief career to date but extends to 1400-metres for the first time in Saturday’s Eagle Farm feature as a precursor to a possible tilt at the Group 1 JJ Atkins (1600m) next month.
“His next run will determine whether he goes to the J J or whether he goes to the paddock and gets ready for the latter part of the spring,” said Michael Hawkes, who trains in partnership with his father John and brother Wayne.
“He has never been over 1400 before and we’re mindful of that.
“He’s a good colt. He has got a very good race in him. We have set him for the Sires’ and he is going really well.”
A Randwick winner over 1100m in December, Gallo Nero finished a game third behind O’Ole in the Magic Millions Classic (1200m) at the Gold Coast a month later.
Feeling he had reached the end of his campaign, Team Hawkes opted to spell him and aim towards winter features in Queensland with Gallo Nero getting his latest preparation off to a strong start with narrow second to Saturday’s rival Cool Archie in the Spirit Of Boom Classic (1200m).
He might have gone down by a neck, but Michael Hawkes said the horse came home a winner in the eyes of his trainers.
“He won the race as far as we’re concerned but unfortunately just doesn’t get the kudos,” he said.
“He was no closer than three and four wide the whole way and the other horse just sliced and diced through and got the rails run.
“That’s the difference with barriers. When you draw a bad barrier, you just have to go back. Had he drawn a decent barrier he would have been two or three pairs closer. His run was enormous.”
Hawkes’ only reservation was how much that effort had taxed Gallo Nero first-up given the heavy track conditions, although he said the youngster appeared to have taken no ill effects.
“It was a hard run first-up and on a wet track,” he said.
“It does take a bit out of them, but he has bounced back well so I’m looking forward to the race on Saturday.”
Tyler Schiller will partner Gallo Nero from barrier eight in the capacity field of 18 plus three reserves.
