Don Hugo winning the 2025 Blacks A Fake
SUPERSTAR pacer and favourite for the $1.25 million Group 1 Nullarbor, Don Hugo, is out of the race.
Trainer-driver Luke McCarthy made the tough call to withdraw the former Inter Dominion, Miracle Mile and TAB Eureka winner today after an untimely setback.
“It’s so disappointing,” he said. “We’d built his whole start to the year around this trip and even bypassed the big races in Melbourne to wait and focus on Perth.”
McCarthy said Don Hugo fell ill last week, required veterinary treatment and missed a considerable amount of work.
“He’s on the way back, but still isn’t eating properly, so we had to make a call with only a week-and-a-half until the flight goes (from Melbourne to Perth),” he said.
“He needed a trial on Wednesday and he’s not going to be ready for that.
“Given the timing now, I just couldn’t have him at his very top and with the flight over and how tough the racing is over there, there’s no way he could go unless he’s 100 percent.
“Tony (Licastro, owner) is really disappointed and so am I. We really thought we had the right horse for the race.
“He showed he was right on target with that Miracle Mile run (third) last start, especially with the two that beat him (Leap To Fame and The Janitor) not going to Perth, and then we have the setback.”
Don Hugo was as short as $2.50 favourite for the Nullarbor before his scratching and it leaves Ladbrokes scrambling for a replacement runner.
McCarthy said Don Hugo would now have a break and be set for the Brisbane Inter Dominion in July.
His setback continues a roller-coaster few weeks for McCarthy with his other stable star Kingman, winner of the big NZ and Victoria Cup double late last year, also running well below his best in the Miracle Mile and a qualifier the week before.
“He’s back on track,” McCarthy said. “I’m going to trial him at Menangle on Wednesday.”
Kingman is booked to fly to NZ over Easter to tackle the $NZ1 million Race by Sport Nation at Cambridge on April 17.
“We thought we had everything coordinated well with Kingman going to NZ and Don Hugo to Perth, but that’s horses for you,” McCarthy said.
“Kingman just wasn’t himself in those couple of runs, but it was really noticeable how quickly he just seemed to turn the corner after the Miracle Mile.
“We were leaning towards not taking him, but he’s bounced back so well we decided to push on and I haven’t been able to fault the horse since.
“I’m expecting a strong trial on Wednesday.”
Kingman has beaten Leap To Fame three times since October and will clash with the Queensland champion again at Cambridge.
The other confirmed Aussie runners in the Race by Sport Nation are dual NZ Cup winner Swayzee, Miracle Mile runner-up The Janitor and NSW star Captains Knock.
PHOTO: Don Hugo winning Blacks A Fake - Dan Costello
