This weekend Rosehill Racecourse will be host to the career debut of Gregory Hickman’s Ad Valorem gelding Taxmeifyoucan who is one of four unraced youngsters running in the 2012 Inglis Classic field.
Hugh Bowman has the ride on Taxmeifyoucan for their debut in the 2012 Inglis Classic on Saturday
Drawn favourably in gate two with Hugh Bowman booked for the ride, two-year-old Taxmeifyoucan is considered a genuine chance in the $250,000 Inglis Classic (1200m) on Saturday after their first official barrier trial earlier in the week.
“That was very good for him, it doesn’t hurt to have the right sort of barrier,” Hickman said of their ideal Inglis Classic gate.
On Tuesday the promising juvenile ran a length away third in an 800-metres trial at Warwick Farm, qualifying them to run in the Inglis Classic 2012 .
“I know that he is still a little bit green and all the rest of it but I thought for his first trial it was pretty good,” Hickman said.
“There is a bit difference between 800 and 1200 (metres), but Hugh will know what to do.
“Wherever he is comfortable he’ll go along, and just hopefully finish it off well.
“That’s what I saw from him in his barrier trial and I expect that he’ll be finishing the race off again.”
While hopeful of a top three finish and the chance to prove themselves as a nice racing two-year-old, Taxmeifyoucan is more likely to be sent to the paddock after Saturday with Hickman believing they will be better during their three-year-old season.
“I’m just hoping that he’ll run a nice race for the owners on Saturday and we’ll spell him after that,” he said.
“I think that he’ll be better as a three-year-old over a mile.
“There is a big chance that he’ll be spelled, let’s say 80%, but if he comes home and everythign’s sweet he could probably go again.”
Purchased for a mere $16,000 at last year’s Inglis Classic Sales, Taxmeifyoucan will return their purchase price to connections if they finish third on Saturday and take out the $20,000.
Taxmeifyoucan’s sire Ad Valorem, foaled in April 2002, was unbeaten as a two-year-old taking out all three of their juvenile career starts including the Group 1 Middle Park at Newmarket.
He became a dual elite level champ at four when winning the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes over the mile at Ascot, retiring soon after a winner of four of their 13 starts overall.
“He’s definitely got a reasonable strike rate, but I honestly don’t know much about him,” Hickman admitted of Ad Valorem.
Current betting markets for the Inglis Classic at Luxbet are dominated by three horses with Gai Waterhouse’s debutant Snippetsboy ($3.20), Gerald Ryan’s well-bred but also unraced filly Cavalry Rose ($3.20) and dual winner Diamond Earth ($3.40) out to become the third horse in as many years to win the Inglis Nursery – Inglis Classic double.
A little further down the Inglis Classic odds Taxmeifyoucan pays $13 to take out the title and the lucrative $150,000 first prize.
To view the full Inglis Classic 2012 odds and lock in your favourite two-year-old, visit Luxbet today.
Don’t have a Luxbet account? It takes just five minutes to sign-up to Australia’s leading online bookie and if you deposit and quote the code BONUSBET when doing so this season you can enjoy a bonus bet up to $400!
