NATHAN Hobson might be riding on a high into this weekend’s bet365 Swan Hill June Racing Carnival, but the trainer is under no illusions he will be recapturing the glory of his 2023 victory in the $150,000 Golden Topaz.
Instead the ever pragmatic Hobson reckons he “will be having a pretty quiet carnival”.
And at the very best, he might have 10 runners across the three days out of the 15 horses he currently has in work at his Swan Hill stables.
“I just haven’t got the numbers to have a really big crack at the carnival this year so I just have to do the best with what I have got,” Hobson added.
“Most of the horses I have lined up are 0-58 runners, and as competition for starts on all three days is very strong I am not sure how many of them will get a run.
“Things are also pretty tough in racing right now, with everyone’s everyday costs getting so high it is impacting on people’s discretionary spending and the idea of investing in racehorse, or even a syndicate in a racehorse is not a high priority with a lot of people, especially in country areas.
“Also the prizemoney for the carnival is getting pretty big, which is great for the weekend and the town, but that also draw a lot of the big stables and that makes it even harder for the smaller trainers to get a look in.
“Even though I have Yulong Storm entered, I don’t see him getting a start in the Topaz, which he won two years ago, let alone winning.”
The 66 rated nine-year-old gelding is way down the nominations list, behind an army of horses in the 80s and 90s.
However, Hobson does hold high hopes his four-year-old gelding Hydrogen Power can continue his recent red-hot form and give him at least one win at his home carnival.
Hydrogen Power went nuclear at Seymour last week to win over 1600m.
It was the horse’s second win this year (after taking out a 1600m handicap at Swan Hill in March) and he has also clocked up three seconds and a fourth between the two victories.
At Seymour in a six-horse field for the $27,000 Tallarook Sheds Handicap over 1600m, Hydrogen Power lived up to his reputation as a slow starter before rider Craig Newitt started to get serious about the task in hand.
“He doesn’t help you, you know, he just plonks out of the gate,” Newitt explained.
“And once he was slow out I just sort of left him there, thinking he would naturally tow me up anyway, but he actually settled me well and there was good speed in the race to drag me into it.”
Hobson has also thanked Wayne Hyde, his co-owner in the horse, for spotting Hydrogen Power online and buying him.
“He’s been a tricky horse because he’s always slow away and doesn’t help himself and needs a lot of luck sometimes,” Hobson said.
“We’ve tried to lead on him a few times and so at Seymour I left an open book with Craig and said if he’s slow away to maybe ride him on a very long rein and maybe that’s why he settled a bit better.
“And then Craig put him in the race, and it was a good ride.”
Hobson agreed the small field might have played into his hands and said Linda Meech has also ridden the horse a couple of times and done a good job.
“I loved the way she went with him at Horsham in his previous start, out in front and bowling and it is great to have a win with him again,” Hobson added.
“After seeing him do well at Seymour over the mile (he had been running out to 2000m) there is a 0-64BM event, also over the mile, at the cup carnival Sunday so we might try him again there.”
The horses Hobson has nominated for the carnival include Yulong Storm, Saraya, Redneck Woman, Where’s My Sock, Calm Down Sheriff, Chosen Venture, Hydrogen Power, Barassi Road, The Wayfarer, and Reward The Sheriff.
