PILKINGTON ENJOYS MORE THAN A CHUCKLE

THURSDAY: August 6, 2026: JACK Pilkington was entitled to have more than a chuckle at Gosford today.

It’s fair to say his winner Chuckler certainly owed him a well-deserved reward.

It’s been a long haul for the Hawkesbury trainer with the lightly-raced four-year-old, and his diligence and patience paid off with a breakthrough in the 2100m Maiden Plate.

Ridden by Reece Jones, Chuckler ($5) at his sixth start raced up on the pace and tenaciously held out $1.75 favorite Autafinna.

Pilkington paid $15,000 for the son of Peltzer at the 2024 Inglis HTBA yearling sale in Sydney; his dam Tavisocks being a daughter of the ill-fated New Zealand stallion Tavistock, whose progeny can stay.

“Chuckler is from a very good New Zealand family,” Pilkington said this evening.

“Unfortunately he was a mischievous lad as a colt, and did a silly injury to himself the day he was due to be gelded.

“It was a suspensory injury, and I’ve had to rehab him two and a half times to get him to the races, and that’s why he wears bandages.

“The last time he aggravated the injury the vet considered he had only a low chance of ever racing.

“But I wasn’t prepared to give up on him.”

Chuckler made his debut at Wyong on June 7 when 11^th in a 1625m Provincial Maiden Plate, and has gradually got fitter with more racing.

He ran fourth over 2000m at Hawkesbury on July 19 before tackling midweek city class when sixth to Elle Hudson in a 2400 Benchmark 72 Handicap at the Kensington track on July 29.

“I did nominate Chuckler for the 2400m Benchmark 78 Handicap at Randwick on Saturday as a precaution, but at least we’ve got his maiden out of the way,” Pilkington said.

“The tighter tracks such as Gosford don’t really suit him, but I told Reece (Jones) to ride him as though he was at a velodrome.

“By that I meant make sure the pace is on at least from the 800m because I knew he could stay.

“Reece rode Chuckler well, and given all the hard work put into him, it was great to see the horse win his first race.

“I’m sure he can go on to make his mark in better class races.”

Chuckler’s victory came as Pilkington prepares to resume his talented gelding Alabama State at Randwick on Saturday.

James McDonald, who rode the now five-year-old when he won a Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1350m) at Rosehill Gardens on January 31 before spelling, has the mount again.

“James rode him when fourth in a recent trial at Randwick, and was happy to stay on him for his resumption,” Pilkington said.

“Alabama State has been a long time off, and whatever he does first-up, there’s no doubt he will be better for it.

“But I’m looking forward to him running a nice race all the same.”

Pilkington has his Hawkesbury debut winner Am I Dreaming back in work – but only after a delay.

“Am I Dreaming got strangles (a contagious upper respiratory disease) and was off for 13 weeks instead of six,” Pilkington explained.

“He has only just come back and the spring is virtually out, but I will try to get him ready for The Four Pillars in town and Spring Stakes at Newcastle.

“They are the same races Alabama State contested two years ago as a three-year-old.”

Am I Dreaming, after winning a Provincial Maiden (1300m) at Hawkesbury on debut in March, then took a quantum leap by running in the Group 1 Sires (1400m), Listed Fernhill Handicap (1600m) and Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m) – all at Randwick on consecutive weeks – the following month.