Howard Hughes Shapes Up For Pinjarra Test
Exciting pacer Howard Hughes will look to continue his unbeaten run to start this campaign when he lines up in the Art Major @ Alabar Pace (2185m) at Pinjarra this afternoon.
Howard Hughes scored comfortably at Northam and Bunbury on August 15 and 22 respectively, the second of those wins in a standing start event off 30m.
He faces arguably his toughest assignment to date this afternoon when he lines up against proven Friday night horses Captain Mannering and Quick Stride.
Howard Hughes strung together five straight wins in Western Australia earlier this year, before he suffered his only two defeats in the state in the Western Gateway and the WA Derby.
Ryan Warwick, who has driven the colt at each of his WA runs, said he felt Howard Hughes had improved since his autumn campaign.
“He was always pretty good at what he did,” Warwick told RWWA Harness.
“We’ve thrown him in a few stands to let him learn but his ability hasn’t changed.
“He’s getting a little bit smarter at what he does, he’s not going to win by 20 metres anymore.
Another Greg and Skye Bond pacer Patronus Star defeated Howard Hughes in the WA Derby earlier this year and has won all three of his starts since then.
Warwick said Patronus Star had the score on the board over Howard Hughes but said he wouldn’t be surprised if the son of Bettors Delight reached a similar level in time.
“I like to let the horses do the talking and Patronus Star talks a lot,” he said.
“Howard Hughes is in the conversation but he’s not talking a lot.
“By the time he got to the Derby he was a tired horse and he hasn’t had the opportunity since to prove himself like Patronus Star has.
“He’s just got to keep doing what he’s doing and doing it well.
“There’s no real excuses with a horse of his ability, so whatever race we put him in we expect a high level from him.”
Meanwhile, Aiden De Campo is confident Handsandwheels can return bigger and better when he returns to the track early next year.
The Group 1 winner was ruled out of the WA and Fremantle Cups later this year after he was found to have injured his rear hind suspensory.
De Campo said his stable star would need a substantial stint in the paddock but was hopeful there was more to come in the 2017 WA Derby winner’s glittering career.
“He’s probably going to be out for four to five months,” he told TABradio.
“Hopefully we will have him back the start of next year.
“It’s a big challenge but I’ve got lots of confidence in the horse.
“He’s always done a good job for us and he’s a beautiful horse to train and he’s always looked after himself that way.
“Whether he gets back to his best, that remains to be seen but I’m confident he’s a quick healer.”
https://soundcloud.com/tabradio/august-31-aiden-de-campo
Tim Walker
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