3 minute read
Local trainer Scott Singleton considers the time is right to make an important gear change on his sole runner at his today’s Hawkesbury meeting.
He’s banking on the alteration, along with rainfall, will enable his New Zealand-bred four-year-old Decapitor to cut down his rivals and shed his maiden status by ending a run of four consecutive second placings.
Singleton, never afraid to make gear changes on his horses when he considers them necessary, is taking winkers off and putting blinkers back on the gelding for the Campari Maiden Handicap (1800m).Jess Taylor has been aboard Decapitor in his four seconds and again gets the opportunity to partner him to a breakthrough victory.
“Jess has ridden the horse well in those races, and I’ve got no reason at all to take her off,” Singleton said.“Decapitor was in the right race at Cessnock last time but the tight track and firm surface didn’t help him.
“He is coming back in distance at Hawkesbury, hence the decision to put blinkers back on him for the first time this campaign and take winkers off.“We’ve had rain here and the track will be soft. Being a Kiwi, that should suit him. I feel it is the right time to change gear and hopefully it brings about the desired result.”
Singleton purchased the well-named son of Guillotine in New Zealand cheaply at the 2016 Select yearling sale because he liked him as a type.Whilst the grey is yet to win, he has already recouped the purchase price – his four recent placings earning $22,000.
Decapitor’s sequence of seconds began on Canberra’ synthetic track on August 10 over 1750m and continued at Newcastle (1885m on August 25), Gosford (1900m on September 6) and then Cessnock.His trainer is at present unsure whether a victory at home tomorrow will in fact put his gelding in the unusual situation of possibly winning two maiden races.
Decapitor chased home Iron Duke at Newcastle on August 25 and that horse’s has subsequently returned a positive swab to a prohibited level of cobalt, with a stewards’ inquiry pending.Co-trainers Peter and Paul Snowden are poised to strike early at Hawkesbury.
Team Snowden has fancied runners Signore Fox (Mitchell Bell) and Delfuego (Tye Angland) in the opening event, the Canadian Club Zero Class 2 Handicap (1300m) and joint favorite Deitra (Christian Reith) in the Seppelt The Great Entertainer Maiden Plate (1300m).Signore Fox did a good job to snare a Class 1 Handicap (1200m) at Newcastle on September 15 – his second win from three starts since resuming – whilst Delfuego will have taken improvement from his first-up third to Jack’s Bar in a Benchmark 64 Handicap (1200m) at Newcastle on September 4.
So You Think mare Deitra has raced only once when third to Wild Horizon in a 1200m Maiden at Newcastle on May 19 and made nice ground without being ridden out when fourth over 845m in the last of 15 trials at Wyong on September 10 on soft ground.