Trainer Jeff Englebrecht admits Kite Hill is sometimes a hard mare to understand but hopes the drop back to 1200 metres at Wyong on Tuesday may go some way to helping answer a few questions for both he and owner Paul Frampton.
Kite Hill (Grant Buckley) will run in The Doylo-Home Of The Smokehouse Grill and Bar Benchmark 60, dropping back in distance after her second over 1350 metres on this track two weeks earlier. Kite Hill, also ridden by Buckley in that race, sat in second place early, moved up to lead approaching the turn then was run down near the line by the promising Granite Belt.
“We are hoping the drop back to 1200 metres will help her and hopefully Grant can get a sit just off the pace rather than leading,” Englebrecht said. “That’s the plan anyway.
“The silly thing is that four runs back she won over 1350 metres on the Beaumont Newcastle track. We drew wide so Grant zoomed straight across to lead and away she went yet the other day she didn’t run out 1350 metres.
“Paul found this race and it seems ideal. The mare is fit and well and I don’t have to do a lot with her between runs.”
Greg Bennett has his sights on next month’s $80,000 Taree Cup (2000m) for Settle The Future and the horse takes another step towards that goal in the Club Toukley RSL Benchmark 65 (1600m). Settle The Future came from near last to win over 1600 metres at Scone earlier this month but it took nearly the length of the long straight for him to reel in the leader and win in a photo finish.
It was a welcome return to form and Bennett believes he is now looking for more ground: “This race is ideal because he will have one more start after it then go to Taree and after that we will look at the Port Macquarie Cup,” Bennett said.
“He has a big weight from a wide draw and because of the short Wyong straight will have to ride him closer. We can’t afford to be too far back.”
– Racing NSW
