Mornington trainer Jerome Hunter is looking forward to again testing Wonder Boy over a mile, this time on his home track.
Wonder Boy contests the No Fuss Event Hire Handicap (1600m) at Mornington on Saturday ahead of a possible trip to Brisbane with the four-year-old.
Hunter said he had no reason to doubt Wonder Boy running out the 1600m now the gelding is a stronger version of the one that raced over the trip as a three-year-old 11 months ago.
Coming off a 1400m win in the Bendigo Guineas in April last year, Hunter took Wonder Boy to Brisbane to contest the Group 2 Queensland Guineas (1600m).
After racing on the speed, Wonder Boy weakened in the run home to finish sixth.
“He didn’t get much of a chance up at Eagle Farm that day when nothing went right for him,” Hunter said.
“He was up on speed, there was a lot going on, and it didn’t suit him.
“Back on his home track, he’ll be ridden more conservatively, and we’ll see whether he gets the trip or not.”
Wonder Boy has not been successful since his win at Bendigo last April, but Hunter was buoyed by the gelding’s latest performance at Rosehill when second over 1400m and Hunter said the travel had not harmed the gelding.
“He’s done well since Sydney and he has done really well this preparation,” Hunter said.
“Last start, he came up against a pretty good horse, I think.”
Hunter has ambitions of returning to Brisbane again this year and would like to see Wonder Boy in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm in June.
“He would need to get his rating up, but that would be a lovely race to try and get him into,” Hunter said.
“If we get him up there early enough there are some nice lead-up races along the way.”
