SUNDAY: September 27, 2020: IT’S been quite a week for Daniel Robinson.
The accomplished horseman, who trains a small team at Hawkesbury as a side to his successful DPR Breaking business at Orchard Hills, firstly was chuffed with Karmazone’s placing at Canterbury last Wednesday, being his first metropolitan runner.
Then lightning struck twice at Goulburn two days later when he won the Benchmark 58 Handicap (2300m) for the second year in a row – but with a different horse.
Whereas Dexluther was successful last year en route to the Jericho Cup over the marathon 4600m at Warrnambool a few months later, this time it was Hard Expectations who broke his maiden status.
And whilst Robinson won the race with different stablemates, there was no change with the jockey as Winona Costin rode both horses.
Dexluther was a $20 chance last year, whilst Hard Expectations started a well-backed $3.40 second favorite in outstaying Everly Girl ($6.50) and $2.80 favorite Fox Beat.
It took Hard Expectations 19 starts to win his first race, but Robinson is confident it won’t take him as long to win again.
“I broke him in and ended up buying him privately from Gerry Harvey,” Robinson explained. “He was a difficult horse to handle early, and a joint infection meant he had to be given time anyway.
“He is not the furnished package yet, but shows staying promise. Though having a crack at the Jericho Cup with him in late November is not off the table, at this stage I would like to give him his chance to go through his classes and build up his confidence.”
Robinson had an interesting tale to relate about Hard Expectations’ pedigree. His gelding is out of the General Nediym mare Kallisto, who was retired to stud winless from only five starts.
Kallisto’s granddam North Bell is the dam of the Western Australian “Fighting Tiger” Northerly, whose 19 wins from 37 starts included two Cox Plates, two Australian Cups and a Caulfield Cup.
“Hard Expectations isn’t unlike Northerly in appearance, except Northerly went a bit quicker,” Robinson quipped.
Meanwhile, the Hawkesbury trainer could not have been more pleased with Karmazone’s city debut at Canterbury when third at $26, after being forced to race wide, to Kirwan’s Lane in a Benchmark 72 Handicap (1550m).
“I gave him a couple of days in the paddock afterwards, and I’m sure he has taken improvement from the run,” Robinson said.
“There is another midweek race (1600m Benchmark 72 Handicap) at Warwick Farm on Wednesday week, and I’m hoping Kerrin McEvoy will stick with him.”
Karmazone, a lightly-raced Eurozone five-year-old who has started only nine times for two wins, showed his ability in the autumn when just behind the placegetters in heats of the Provincial Championships at Hawkesbury and Kembla Grange respectively.
. Dexluther sustained a tendon injury at his last start in the Hunter Stayers’ Cup (2900m) at Newcastle in early August, and though he won’t be trying to qualify for the Jericho Cup again this year as Robinson gives him ample time to recover, there is every chance he will make it back to the races.