By Michael Guerin
Temporale may be far from the finished product but he is close enough to have booked himself a ticket to Victoria.
The three-year-old trotter overcame an early gallop to beat the older horses at Alexandra Park last Friday night, suggesting he is heading for open class long-term.
But he looks likely to take some uneven steps on the way, Friday’s win being his second on end but both times he has galloped early.
The fact he has come back to trainer-driver Tony Herlihy so quickly under tricky circumstances both times he has galloped indicate Temporale has the attitude to be a good horse.
But Herlihy can’t wait that long to find out as he has two group ones on the radar in the next month.
So he will board a plane on Wednesday to take his place in the Victoria Derby at Maryborough before staying on in Victoria for the Breeders Crown on August 28.
The Derby looks a strong race even without Marcoola heading across, with the local Australians improving and Temporale to be joined by Wilma’s Mate and of course High Gait, who is already there.
“I’d like him to be trotting just a little more squarely but he is racing well enough to make the trip,” said Herlihy.
“And the experience will be good for him. They are only three once so it makes sense to go.”
Adding to the lure of the Breeders Crown is the fact the series is now split by sex, meaning Temporale avoids High Gait and Wilma’s Mate.
As good as Temporale was overcoming his gallop to win on Friday, one of the stars of the final Alexandra Park meeting for the season was veteran mare New Years Jay, an easy winner of the main pace.
The former southerner paced a 1:54.8 mile rate for 1700m and was barely out of third gear after a beautiful Zac Butcher drive in the one-one saw her cruise past stablemate Hug The Wind.
While she turns nine on Monday, New Years Jay is lightly raced and is clearly enjoying life with new trainer Barry Purdon. With the open class mares ranks to be missing so many of the established stars for the first half of the new season, all of a sudden New Years Jay looks a serious player in races like the Queen Of Hearts in December should she hold her form.
“She is a good mare and has real speed,” says Purdon.
The night’s main trot wasn’t quite so comfortable for those who took the $1.20 for Harrysul, who needed the entire Alexandra Park home straight to get past Charlemagne.
It was Harrysul’s second win in three northern starts for new trainers Dave and Clare McGowan and he hardly did it style, trotting roughly. Still, the motor is definitely there.
“He has a little issue in behind but we will get to the bottom of that,” said McGowan.
“He has got the ability and they sent him up for the winter because he was on such tough handicaps down there.
“So he will go back home for the Cup meeting eventually but he could have some more fun up here once he starts believing in himself.”
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