3 minute read
Trainer Greg Hickman is going to Kembla Grange on Saturday quietly confident that promising galloper Midori Glory can keep his unbeaten record intact.
Midori Glory was well backed from $15 into $6 on debut when producing a dominant victory at Goulburn over the 1000m last month and has continued to improve since the strong showing.
He will attempt to repeat the dose in the Paul Bridge Memorial Class 1 (1000m).
"He has done everything right in the two weeks between, he has worked really well and I can't see why he can't win," Greg Hickman said.
"We are just letting him go through his grades and he has always shown us he is a nice horse.
"He is still very green and learning but he will get stronger and continue to improve with more racing."
Midori Glory was snapped up for $50,000 at the 2022 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale Highway Session but never raced during his two-year-old season.
He proved to be worth the wait in his only start to date and should get every chance to match his debut effort from barrier one.
Midori Glory came from last on the turn to win at Goulburn and Hickman anticipates the son of Shooting To Win will be back in the pack again second up despite drawing an inside barrier.
"He will go back, not to last and wherever he is comfortable so he hits the line," Hickman said. "I think he should run well."
Top provincial rider Jeff Penza has been tasked with helping keep Midori Glory's unbeaten record alive.
Midori Glory is an $8.50 chance on TAB to salute with the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Gilmore the $4 favourite from Ciaron Maher and David Eustace's Kiribati ($5).
Hickman had also accepted with Annoint in the Balter CG&E Maiden Handicap but has elected to wait until Sunday's meeting at Hawkesbury instead, making Midori Glory his only runner on the eight-race card.
Meanwhile, he has elected to spell promising filly Private Legacy for a spell and aim at the Oaks in the autumn after the filly finished midfield in last Saturday's Group 1 Flight Stakes.
"She will go to the paddock on Monday and we will look to the Oaks next year," Hickman added.
