Veteran Gold Coast trainer Harold Norman will be keeping Lucky Tom a little closer to home, believing that’s where he performs best.
Lucky Tom ran last in the Rockhampton Newmarket two weeks ago but Norman has put that behind him.
Norman is convinced the gelding hates long travel and will return to his best in the Caltex Open (1400m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
“I took him to Melbourne for the Caulfield Guineas as a younger horse and he also didn’t fire. The track was rock hard at Rockhampton and that didn’t suit him but I am now convinced he just doesn’t like travel,” Norman said.
“It is OK going to Brisbane which is only an hour away. But anything longer he seems to freeze up. I expect a much better run on Saturday.”
Lucky Tom easily beat Lauterbrunnen into second place at Doomben two runs back.
Lauterbrunnen then won the Rockhampton Newmarket beating Lucky Tom by nearly seven lengths.
“There has to be a reason for such a big turnaround and I am putting it down to travel and the track hardness,” Norman said.
A win by Lucky Tom would complete a big week for Norman who won the South Grafton Cup with Gold Horizon on Sunday.
It was a special win as Gold Horizon was formerly trained by the late Bede Murray who was Norman’s close friend.
“Bede and I grew up together on the South Coast of NSW and were mates for decades. He would always stay with me when he came to Queensland so to win for him was great,” Norman said.
“Gold Horizon didn’t handle the Rockhampton track either at his previous start when beaten in the Cup there so that might be an omen.”
