A lot of hard work has gone into getting lightly raced former Hong Kong galloper Divine Ten back to the racetrack.
Now in his second preparation for Geelong trainer Kelvin Bourke, Divine Ten runs in Saturday’s Group Three Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield.
Divine Ten was one of Hong Kong’s best up-and-coming sprinters, running second to Aerovelocity at Sha Tin before that horse went on to win the first of two Hong Kong International Sprints.
A tendon injury halted Divine Ten’s Hong Kong career and he was sent to Australia to recuperate.
Bourke and his staff worked hard to get Divine Ten over the injury while at the same time getting the gelding to switch off after life in Hong Kong.
Divine Ten lives in a paddock, with a shelter, and Bourke says he is in a good place physically, and importantly, mentally.
Bourke learned a valuable lesson with the gelding earlier in the week.
“The other day we took the head collar off by mistake and it took us an hour to get him,” Bourke said.
“He wasn’t tearing around the paddock, just having a play, but it nearly made us miss trackwork at Geelong.”
After two poor runs in the autumn when he failed to beat a runner home, Divine Ten ran a creditable fourth first-up in the Monash Stakes at Caulfield on July 15.
Bourke was pleased with the effort although he did consider bypassing Saturday’s weight-for-age contest.
“I wasn’t sure whether I’d run him but they’ll only get stronger from here,” Bourke said.
“It’s a strong enough race as it is.
“I’m thinking now that he’s a bit older he’ll get out to 1400 metres somewhere down the track.”
Harry Coffey, who has been going to Geelong to ride in unofficial trials, takes the ride on Divine Ten.
