Beltoro on trial for Australian Guineas

Tuesday 22 December 2020, 3:00pm

Robert Hickmott wants to see undefeated three-year-old Beltoro put in another good run before he commits to an Australian Guineas campaign.

The Toronado gelding has created a big impression with his fast-finishing wins to score at Bendigo and Flemington at his only starts.

Hickmott will accept with Beltoro for a 1400 metre Benchmark 70 race against his own age at Caulfield on Saturday and will keep a Flemington race in the same class over 1700 metres on New Year's Day as his back-up.

"He can't run every start at Flemington and it would be good for his education to run at Caulfield," Hickmott said.

"There's different dynamics between Caulfield to Flemington and he will need to be closer in the run but I think he can.

"He's a gelding - we're not after a Black Caviar stretch of wins. He's got to learn to handle these tracks."

In terms of the Group One Australian Guineas at Flemington on February 27, Hickmott said the horse would need to go close to winning at Caulfield.

The trainer admits Beltoro's form has taken him by surprise.

"He's a nice horse and I haven't really tied him down yet. He's been doing it off his natural ability," Hickmott said.

"He's been a slow learner and his sharpness has surprised me."

Hickmott said in some ways the Flemington race would suit Beltoro more than Caulfield but he felt the latter would be better for his education.

Jack Hill retains the mount after partnering Beltoro in both runs with his last-start victory providing the jockey with his first city winner in four years.

"There are a lot of the boys like him who don't get opportunities. Jack's a good rider and I've got no issue putting him on," Hickmott said.

Hickmott said his former boss Lloyd Williams was excited with Hill's victory and rang him that night after the race.

"He really likes Jack. He did a lot of track work for us at Mount Macedon," he said.

After Beltoro has his next run, Hickmott said he would have a ten day freshen up before being prepared for the Australian Guineas.

– AAP

Latest News

Prime Thoroughbreds - We have a Host of Leaders in our Team

Tuesday, 29 June 2021

Prime Thor­ough­bred’s cur­rent rac­ing team is putt­ing to­gether quite a re­cord. We have 22 hors­es that have raced in our team at pre­sent. Six­teen of th­ese are win­n­ers in­clud­ing the Stakes win­n­ing trio Ru­bisa­ki, Fituese and Xtreme­time with Miss Di­vine Em and Miss In Charge run­n­ing 4th in Stakes races. This sees a stakes win­n­er to win­n­er ra­tio of 18.75% with a stake’s per­formed to win­n­er ra­tio of 31.25%. Th­ese are ex­cep­tio­n­al fig­ures.   More »

Freedmans land maiden Group One win

Saturday, 27 February 2021

Un­der-rat­ed fil­ly For­bid­den Love has emerged as an au­tumn car­ni­val smokey with a bril­liant per­for­mance to win the Sur­round Stakes at Rand­wick.  More »

Capriccio completes Damian Lane treble

Saturday, 27 February 2021

In a big day for coun­try-trained hors­es, War­r­nam­bool fil­ly Capric­cio has tak­en out the In­glis Dash for Daniel Bow­man.  More »

More news headlines »