Sport
26 June, 2024
Cloncurry trainer hopes The Carpenter can build on his winning streak
Terry Hall will saddle up his in-form gelding in the Battle of the Bush final.
A good barrier and tactical speed could hold the key to success for The Carpenter in Saturday’s Battle of the Bush final, says Terry Hall.
Cloncurry’s newest – and only – horse trainer believes his in-form galloper can mix it with the best from around regional Queensland in the $200,000 sprint race.
“He’s no slouch on his day,” Hall told North West Weekly from his freezing cold base at Oakey.
“I reckon he’s come back really nicely.”
Since making the move to the Curry earlier this year, Hall and his small stable have hit the ground running, winning seven of 10 starts in the North West.
The Carpenter has four of those victories to his name with a perfect record after wins at Cloncurry, Maxwelton, Gregory Downs and the qualifier at Mount Isa.
A prolonged spell prior to the move has helped the seven-year-old gelding.
“In hindsight, I was probably a bit hard on the horse,” Hall said.
“He hurt himself at Surat and I raced him at the Gold Coast and he didn’t finish the race.”
That was in September and The Carpenter didn’t race again until March 23 this year.
“That’s the best spell he’s ever had and he’s come back fresh and in good form. I’m sure the new environment (at Cloncurry) has also helped.”
The timing of the Battle of the Bush has worked well for Hall, who took The Carpenter back to his property at Oakey to prepare him for the Brisbane assignment.
“I’ve just written up a contract to sell the place,” he said, noting he was fully committed to making a living in Cloncurry.
“I want to get a house and a block up there and have a go.”
Hall said while there would be more-fancied horses on Saturday, he wasn’t discounting the chances of his well-travelled galloper, who has 12 wins and 13 placings from 62 career starts.
“If they run a strong tempo and I think they will, he’ll have the stamina to be there in the finish and he also has good gate speed to get himself into a handy position when they jump,” he said.
“We’ve drawn a nice barrier and that will help us.”
Mount Isa-based jockey Jason Hoopert has been tasked with the ride and said he was rapt to see the barrier draw and believed he had a winning chance.
Hoopert is hoping his mum is a good omen for him at Eagle Farm.
It’s his mum’s birthday on Saturday and she’s making the trip down from Kingaroy to see her son ride in the big race.