Dan Clarken knows a thing or two when it comes to winning feature two-year-old races.
The G1 Blue Diamond-winning trainer, who added to his 2YO Stakes tally when Steel Trap won the G3 David Coles Stakes earlier this year, will chase another headline win with Bootlegger in Saturday’s G3 SA Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m).
The son of boom sire Too Darn Hot broke his maiden impressively at Gawler last start and Clarken said everything he and co-trainer Oopy McGillivray have seen from the gelding since suggest he’s improved.
Clarken is bullish he can step up to the mark in the G3 feature, which has attracted a field of 10 juveniles from South Australia and Victoria.
“He hasn’t taken any step back from the other day,” Clarken said.
“You think they might need a break but they can surprise you by putting on weight and sometimes the racing can toughen them up.
“He’s certainly done that between the two runs.
“He’s still not there in the coat so there’s more to come from him.
“I’ve learned with these two-year-olds that you go with the flow and let them lead the way.”
“I’m happy to be going there on Saturday because I don’t think there are any superstars there.
“It’s a good race for him and he’s a versatile horse, he has the tactical speed if he needs it but we’ve seen him run well from behind as well.”
Clarken said Bootlegger has always shown ability, albeit he wasn’t ready to race as early as his Stakes-winning stablemate Steel Trap.
“We actually thought he might be a bit earlier than what he is but he was a bit immature through the bone and kept going shin sore,” he said.
“From what we see, he’s going to be worth waiting for.
“He’s got gears.
“He’s a different type of horse to Steel Trap, she’s a bit tougher and she obviously got there earlier than him too.
“But there wouldn’t be a great deal between them on natural ability.”
