Mario Attard hopes his beloved boy is ready to become a man.
Dont Hold Back will step out Friday night in the Empire Stallions Vicbred Platinum Pace, the Courage Under Fire colt’s first exposure to open age metropolitan racing.
“He has got to take it to the next level now,” Attard said.
Attard is the just turned four-year-old’s owner, trainer and, more often than not, driver, and was at the centre of jubilant scenes when Dont Hold Back won the Group 1 Empire Stallions Vicbred Super Series title on July 2.
A season of age racing opportunities still lie ahead, but they will be intermingled with transitioning to M class racing, beginning with Friday night’s Group 3 $30,000 feature. Unfortunately it hasn’t all been smooth sailing.
“I had (the Empire Stallions Vicbred Platinum Pace) in mind and wanted to give him a couple of starts before hand, but about three weeks ago I took him down to the beach, where I have taken him plenty of times, and he cut his leg,” Attard said. “That put me back again. It is tough to go into a race like this without races under his belt.”
Dont Hold Back trialled at Melton last Tuesday when third to Cruz Bromac and Field Major, and then again last night when he won in a 1:59.9 mile by a head from Wingatui Dew and Charlie Macsheen.
The next chapter is clearly still to be written.
“He’s got to step up to the next level,” Attard reiterated. “This horse has done what he’s done basically out of the paddock, I’ve nursed him for as long as I can, and now it’s make or break for him as far as making the step to the elite level.
“I will try and race him against four-year-olds. If he comes up to the next level I might go to Perth to contest the Golden Nugget, but that would be more about the holiday and the experience given how Chicago Bull is going. With him you take it day by day and he’ll let me know where we go to from here.”
Friday night’s racing at Tabcorp Park Melton will also feature The Pegasus Club Pace, an $18,000 prize that has lured a nominee for Emma Stewart’s smart mare Berisari in addition to Our Missionary Man, Johnny Fox and last start winner Lucky Lombo.
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