3 minute read
There’s a ‘very nice race’ win in talented four-year-old Black Duke.
That's something trainer Richard Litt has little doubt about but the short term goal is to get the confidence up, iron out some kinks and hope run-of-the-race circumstances go his way in Saturday's $100,000 Midway Handicap (1300m) at Rosehill.
Black Duke has won just twice in 16 starts but his Group 3 placing earlier this year is a sign of what Litt knows is under the gelding's hood.
"I've never had one like him. He is very different but he can gallop,'' Litt said.
"His work on Tuesday was as good as you could ever hope for with any horse.
"Everything just has to go his way. Momentum and no hold ups, good speed, a nice track, nice ride. You can't bully him. He will one day win a very nice race, it's just about being patient with him."
The gelding was an impressive first-up winner at Canterbury, to date the venue for both his career wins, and was beaten a length by Ranges at Kembla Grange on November 20.
It was a race Litt didn't really want to run in given a deteriorating track, the forecast wasn't great and rain had already begun to fall as his race was run plus he drew the inside alley which is not Litt's preferred spot for Black Duke.
"His first up win was excellent, I thought his second-up run was very good,'' he said.
"He isn't the best on soft ground. Robbie (Dolan) did a great job on him but he's not so comfortable on the inside of horses and he had to go through gaps. I don't think he's ungenuine but he's a bit of a thinker and is still learning a lot."
Black Duke, $7.50 with TAB on Thursday, will be partnered by Josh Parr and with respect to Dolan he feels the pair will click.
Litt said he wants at least a soft 5 to allow Black Duke his preferred track conditions.
"He's got barrier 12, he's got a lot of weight (61kg) but has Josh Parr on so he won't carry a lot of dead weight,'' he said.
"I hope Josh suits him, which I think he will. I think he will run really well, but the key to him is the track."
Meanwhile, Litt's Group 1 winning colt Profondo returned to the stable earlier this week and the trainer has labelled the $4 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) as the race he really wants to win.
Profondo is regarded as one of the most exciting horses in training, a $1.9 million yearling who won the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) in October at just his third race start.
It will be a slow build up to the autumn but Litt is rapt with the colt's condition at this early stage.
"He strengthened up a little bit, you don't want him to get too big and fat and I must say he's come back in wonderful condition, very refreshed and happy, and he's had a good think about things,'' he said.
"I couldn't be happier with him, he's back into his old routine and he's going really well."
Profondo is $15 in TAB's Queen Elizabeth market. Litt said he'll likely follow a traditional three-year-old path in the early stages of the autumn but there's plenty of time to make such decisions.
"In his first racing preparation to do what he did is pretty unheard of,'' he said.
"He oozes potential, looking at all the competition throughout the last few months he's going to have to step up again.
"I would love to win them all but I'd like one of the Guineas, Randwick or Rosehill, and I would love to win a Queen Elizabeth. It's one of my favourite races."
