24 September 2024 | Ashleigh Paikos
Bruce Lovett is the first to admit he was disappointed with the result in the Westbred Classic two weeks ago, but he hasn’t lost any faith, confident in Noble Thorondor’s ability heading into this weeks $150,000 Group 1 Golden Slipper final.
“If he’s in the race he’s always a key player, but it’s just a matter of him settling, that’s his biggest issue really,
“He’s got all the speed and the stamina, and can run a 26 quarter, that’s not the issue, it’s him mentally settling in the field,
“And when he has, he’s won.” Trainer Bruce Lovett said.
Awkardly drawn in barrier six, it has forced their hand with Lovett confirming they will have to go back at the start.
“(The draw) makes it difficult, but it makes the decision on whether to go forward or go back, and we sort of have to go back now, but Cyclone Jordy out of one, with his gate speed, is going to make it very difficult for him to cross him.”
Confirming that it’s a good field they come up against, Lovett is very happy with his work since coming through the Westbred Classic, and he will take him to the track this afternoon for a last hit out before heading back up to Gloucester Park on Friday night for the Slipper.
“His times are pretty well always the same, I never let him go flat out but he’s always at the track and he gets home in 57 on the bit and that’s just how he likes to work, couple of miles and finish off with a 57.”
Realising he had a nice horse on his hands soon after he was broken in as a yearling, the family has been with them for a very long time, racing the grand-dam and the dam, and now seeing Noble Thorondor hit his strides on the track, he’s proving to be something that little bit special for Lovett.
“Early days, the long slow work, he did everything so easy, and he’s beautifully gaited, you can work him pretty solid, and you would come back and the heart would be 60, so we just took it real slow with him.
“He’s certainly a lovely horse to handle.”
Pulling hard in the Westbred Classic, Lovett mentioned that is what made him come ‘undone’ and this week they’ll just be hoping he can settle in the field this week to make amends for the race 21 days earlier.
“Sometimes you can take him out there and you can drive him on a piece of cotton, and other times he will get something in his head, and he will just want to get into it, and that’s the issue,
“I thought if he led and could settle, he would win, and I still think he would have.”
Although he’s shown plenty throughout his two-year-old campaign, Lovett believes he will be a better three-year-old, and depending on how this week’s race goes he will target him towards the $30,000 Westsired Sires on Friday October 11, before heading to the paddock for a well-earned rest.
Ashleigh Paikos
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