Tasmanian raider Hellova Street ready for Flemington assignment
AFTER a spectacular run of form in Tasmania Scott Brunton is shooting for the stars as his horse Hellova Street aims to make in three in a row in Saturday’s Listed Goodwood Racecourse March Stakes at Flemington.
The six-year-old won in a photo-finish in the first week of February in a weight-for-age race in Hobart before taking out the $100,000 Mowbray Stakes three-weeks-ago in Launceston, a fifth stakes win.
Hellova Street, paying $4.80 at Crownbet.com.au, arrived in Melbourne on Thursday morning for the 1400m tussle and the trainer believes the gelding is good-to-go.
“We’re happy with the horse,” Brunton told Horsebetting.com.au.
“He only arrived this morning (in Melbourne) on the boat, it’ll take him a day to settle in here again, we did pretty well over here last time so we’re taking the same tactics again.
“He doesn’t appear to have taken much harm from the trip over and he’s got another 48 hours (until the race) anyway, so he’ll pick up good I imagine.
“His work and everything going into the race has been really well, and he seems well in himself so we’re quietly confident.”
It will be Hellova Street’s fourth attempt in Melbourne, where it has placed just once, which was three starts back when it finished second in a heat of the Swettenham Stud Championship, a run that showed Brunton how well his horse was travelling.
That day Hellova Street finished behind Darren Weir’s Burning Front, who has gone on a winning streak since, before going back to Tasmania and winning consecutive Listed Races.
“He’s a good horse… we pushed Burning Front and gave it a run for its money, even though he beat us, and he’s gone on to win five straight,” Brunton said.
“Then he went home and won the two weight-for-age races at home so we’re happy with the horse.”
This will be Hellova Street’s second attempt at racing headquarters, and while other runners have been found out by the long Flemington straight, Brunton has no doubt his horse will handle it.
“He will handle it well, it actually gives him more chance to fight,” the trainer said.
“A couple of times Admiral has beaten him at Launceston, he’s just that drop on him late and he never got a chance to fight back.
“If you went back through two races (The Tasmanian Stakes and the Launceston Conquering) that he ran second to Admiral in, about 10-15m past the post he was actually in front.
“If you give him a chance to fight back he’ll win, his last two wins he was well and truly gone but he just fought back and won, so Flemington won’t worry him.”
Dean Holland takes the ride on Hellova Street for the first time since steering the six-year-old to a below-expectations sixth-placed finish in November’s Newmarket Handicap.
Despite the poor showing the trainer thinks the previous runs the hoop has had will ensure he gives the gelding the best possible chance at winning on Saturday.
“He’s had three rides on him for two wins and probably a pretty disappointing run in the Newmarket,” Brunton said.
“He knows the horse good, (but) he made a blue (in the Newmarket) … he should have pushed forward , but he just sat back.
“He needs to be up the front end fighting, and that’s what he does.
“Dean admitted he made a mistake after the race so we weren’t bagging him for it, it was just the way it went, but we’re quite confident he’ll go well.
“That’s why he’s on him.”
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