Don Hugo Photo by Club Menangle
The 2025 $1.25million TABtouch Nullarbor is shaping up to be an incredible spectacle with Don Hugo now confirmed for Tony Licastro of Kingstead Lodge.
It was announced today that The Aaron Bain Racing/Summit Bloodstock slot has been leased to Tony Licastro/Kingstead Lodge, so it comes as no surprise that the 2024 Inter Dominion and Eureka winner would be their top choice.
“They (Aaron Bain/Summit Bloodstock) basically approached me and said look, are you possibly looking at sending Don Hugo for The Nullarbor at Gloucester Park, and I said if we get a slot we may be, and they asked if we would be interested in buying their slot and I was attracted to that proposal which has transpired to where we are today.”
“I’m really looking forward to coming to Perth, really looking forward to it, Luke and I are.”
“Looking forward to the challenge and being involved in the Nullarbor.” Tony Licastro said.
WA star Never Ending was the favourite going into the 2024 TAB Eureka back in September, but Don Hugo showed his dominance when trainer/driver Luke McCarthy pressed forward from barrier 8 in the feature to lead all the way, taking home the impressive $1,000,000 purse.
“There was a lot of hype around Never Ending and deservedly so, but to win a race that you’re probably not expected to win is a little bit more of a rewarding buzz at the end of it all.”
Don Hugo had a freshen up after the Eureka and just three months after taking out the Sydney Slot Race, he took out the grand circuit Inter Dominion Final at Menangle on Saturday, December 14 in impressive fashion.
“That was probably a little bit diverse, in as far as we were probably the hunted, I’ve said that in the past, we were the favourite in the race and we probably had the best form going into the race beside Minstrel, and for us to come out with that, it was just, not only the fact that he won but the way that he won was a real buzz for us.”
Still getting over the Hunter Cup, no plans have been set in stone for when the star five-year-old will head to the West, but owner Tony Licastro is hopeful that WA will see Don Hugo hit their shores around a month prior to The Nullarbor.
“We have to see when there is a scheduled flight for him but more than likely, I’d like to get there three to four weeks before the race personally.”
“I’d say knowing Luke, he would (race before The Nullarbor).”
Don Hugo finished in fifth place on Saturday night in the Group 1 Hunter Cup at Melton, 6.2m off winner Swayzee who also heads to WA to tackle the elusive Perth Group 1, the TABtouch Nullarbor, but on reflection, connections were disappointed in the result.
“He will have an easy week, just sort of swimming and prepare him for the Miracle Mile in four weeks.”
“To be totally honest with you, its thoroughly enjoyable but obviously its nerve wracking, the scrutiny that you get, winning or losing is unbelievable, from the public. People have opinions which is their right to, but I don’t think a lot of their opinions are quite correct.
“He was always branded as winning an Inter Dominion against a weak field and then he comes across to the Hunter Cup and he gets beaten six metres by really good horses, but in my opinion and in Lukes opinion, he wasn’t up to his best.”
“It wasn’t that he got beaten by better horses, which he did, but he wasn’t beaten because of that.”
“I think if we saw him at his best, he would have been in the finish, especially when he lobbed in the one-one.”
Purchased in the 2021 Victorian Yearling Sales for $82,500, the horse has far surpassed any expectations both Licastro and McCarthy had on the horse.
“Early on in the piece, Luke thought he was going to be a good horse probably not as good as he’s been.”
“He wasn’t a superstar from the get-go, he was just a real good trier, had a lot of ability but was very green and a little bit immature as a young horse, so he didn’t have any early signs of being an absolute champion, but he’s proven to be a really good three-year-old and an even better four year-old, by winning the Eureka and the Inter Dominion as a four-year-old.”
The son of champion sire Art Major USA is the first foal out of Bettors Delight USA mare Cinco Amigos NZ, her only foal to date to be named/racing so far.
Licastro’s introduction to harness racing began 25 years ago with his wife’s family being involved in the sport and although their interest has ceased, his has continued to grow, with the CEO of Ultra Air now owning 25 horses worldwide.
“I’ve actually got five beautifully bred horses in New York, in New Jersey, I bought five yearlings in America in the Kentucky sales, and I’ve got about half a dozen thoroughbreds.”
Licastro and Kingstead Lodge become the second slot to confirm for the 2025 TABtouch Nullarbor at Gloucester Park, with just 79 days until 10 of the best go head-to-head with the $500,000 first prize in their sights.
The $300,000 Fremantle Cup at Gloucester Park will run seven days later on Friday, May 2.
