Trainer Jason Petch is convinced Claro El Banco is better than his debut finish suggests and hopes the two-year-old can show it at Ballarat.
Petch is planning to start Claro El Banco in Saturday’s $200,000 Magic Millions 2yo Clockwise Classic (1000m) at Ballarat if the gelding gains a start.
Claro El Banco is one of 17 two-year-olds nominated for Saturday’s sales-restricted race with a field limit of 11 plus four emergencies.
Claro El Banco didn’t beat a runner home in the Maribyrnong Trial on debut at Flemington last month, but Petch says the gelding is better than that and was pleased with the two-year-old’s win in a trial at Ballarat last Thursday in the clockwise direction.
“Everything he’s done at home and in trials suggests he’s got a bit of talent,” Petch said.
“Myself and the connections said `let’s put that race behind us’.”
Petch said it had not been the plan for Claro El Banco to end up back in the field at Flemington, and believes he got a bit of “stage fright” in behind horses.
He said Claro El Banco went to make a run approaching the 200 metres but worried himself out of it.
The trainer believes the youngster is better as an on-pacer which will be the plan on Saturday with jockey Craig Newitt to ride the gelding for the first time.
“If he can get away well, I’m really confident he can run right into the money in this race,” the trainer said.
Claro El Banco won one of three trials at Ballarat last week by half a length in the clockwise direction ahead of Saturday’s race, and Petch said the son of Statue Of Liberty had to do it pretty tough in the heat.
“He ended up winning the trial quite easily and seems to like the Sydney way of going,” the trainer said.
