Don Hugo after winning the Blacks A Fake
FORMER Inter Dominion champion Don Hugo won’t be sidelined for long.
Trainer-driver Luke McCarthy said scratching his superstar from this Brisbane Inter Dominion series was in large part precautionary.
“It’s not serious. I’d say it’s like a sprained ankle,” he said.
“But it’s one of those things, if we raced him three times in two weeks at the pace they’ll be going, we risk doing some really serious damage, so you simply don’t take the risk.
“He can have a break now, recover and then we get back into it.
“It’s disappointing, but that’s horses and it’ll be great to get him back again soon.”
The setback continued a frustrating year for Don Hugo, who also missed a planned raid on the big Nullarbor/Fremantle Cup double in April because of a health setback.
His passionate owner Tony Licastro now has hopes pinned to emerging star, Don Hunter, to fly the flag.
“He trialled really well today at Albion Park in 1min52sec from the back row. I really like him,” McCarthy said.
Don Hunter heads to the star-studded $500,000 Group 1 Protostar, Australia’s richest juvenile race, at Albion Park on Saturday week.
“It’s going to be a hot race, isn’t it?” McCarthy said. “I’m sure my guy is good enough to give it a real shake if things go his way.”
Don Hunter boasts four wins and a third from five starts and heads into the Protostar after an arrogant Australian Gold final win at Menangle on June 13.
McCarthy also has a string of other major Queensland winter hopefuls including Derby contender The Niteshift, along with star mares Eye Keep Smiling and Steno.
He also drives the Regan Todd-trained boom Kiwi pacer Marketplace in Saturday night’s $350,000 Group 1 Rising Sun at Albion Park.
PHOTO: Dan Costello
