Despite being yet to record black-type victory, Carry Me Bluey could be aimed at a Melbourne spring after signalling plenty of potential throughout his career to date.
Trained by Norm Hilton, the promising four-year-old has won eight times from 26 starts and placed on another 10 occasions.
From five starts at Listed or Group level this year, only once has Carry Me Bluey finished worse than fourth, with his best result of second coming in the Listed Hinkler Quality Handicap in April.
But he bounced back to the winners circle at Grafton on July 8 when he produced an excellent performance to win by nearly a length in the $50,000 South Grafton Cup.
While Hilton is currently preparing the son of Carry The Flag for Saturday’s Tattersall’s Mile, he has one eye on a Victorian spring, a place where he has experienced success before.
“I like taking my horses away and I’m thinking of maybe taking Carry Me Bluey to Victoria this year,” Hilton said.
Hilton took Poor Judge to Melbourne in 2010, finishing third in the Group 1 Toorak Handicap and winning the Group 3 Chatham Stakes.
But first Carry Me Bluey will have to get through Saturday’s $80,000 Listed event, a race that is set to feature last-start winners Belltone and Adnocon.
Trained by Kelso Wood, Belltone is chasing a third consecutive black-type victory, having won the Eye Liner Stakes at Ipswich and the Glasshouse Handicap at the Sunshine Coast.
Adnocon just missed out on a third consecutive Eye Liner Stakes victory when half a length behind Belltone in third but redeemed that last start with victory in the Listed Ascot Handicap at Eagle Farm.
A veteran of 47 starts, Adnocon has crossed the line in front nine times and collected career prize takings of $550,000.