3 minute read
Last season’s Newmarket Handicap winner Gee Gee Secondover is set to kick off his next campaign in Melbourne after an impressive trial win in Devonport on Tuesday.
Gee Gee Secondover lined up against star mare Mystic Journey and another quality mare Deroche in an 800m trial at the Ladbrokes All-Weather Spreyton track and the Team Wells trained gelding emerged triumphant over Deroche, with Mystic Journey third. Co-trainer Leon Wells said his star sprinter had returned from a spell in great order and connections had eyed two possible return races for the now six-year-old at Caulfield in a fortnight.
"Yesterday's hitout was his second trial this time in and he has galloped really well in both, so he is fit enough to tackle a race at Caulfield in a fortnight," Wells said. "There are no races for him here in Tassie because he is to highly rated (98)."
Gee Gee Secondover is likely to return to the state after his Caulfield outing and be set for a first-up tilt at this season's Newmarket Handicap in early December.
"The Newmarket is the only race in Tassie that we can look at with this horse in 2021 and then we'll aim him at the Royal Rambo on Launceston Cup Day (Feb 23), a race he also won last season."
While Wells was pleased with Gee Gee Secondover's trial on Tuesday, so too was Barry Campbell, trainer of Deroche.
Deroche flew the gates and with apprentice Codi Jordan aboard, the daughter of Needs Further cruised to the line only to be beaten in the last stride.
"I'll give Deroche another trial in a fortnight and we will then decide where we go with her first up," Campbell said.
Mystic Journey was resuming from a lengthy layoff due to surgery to remove bone chips from a joint.
The star mare was allowed to bowl along at the tail of the field of three and stable apprentice Erica ByrneBurke let her work a bit over the last 200m without being fully extended in a nice workout for the Group 1 winning mare.
Last season's Vamos Stakes winner Still A Star is likely to trial in Devonport in a fortnight. The Bill Ryan trained mare hasn't started since winning the Listed Anniversary Vase over 1400m at Caulfield in April.
