Trainers Chantal and Pete McMullen have chosen to take a longer-term view with the brilliant six-year-old who took Addington by storm earlier this month with his huge Group 1 double in the Dominion Trot and NZ Trotting free-for-all.
It was the kind of performance Gus had been aiming for for some time and underlined Team McMullen’s patient and excellent training performance.
Most expected Gus to head south and chase the new $500,000 bonus at six harness racing races in Victoria from January 10 to February 14.
But Pete McMullen said he and Chantal didn’t think the biggest of those races, the $250,000 Group 1 Great Southern Star, would be suitable for Gus, which has been such a work in progress for them.
“He’s on a break now,” he said. “We have looked at Melbourne, especially the Great Southern Star, but we don’t think this is the right kind of race for him.
“We spent a lot of time trying to calm him down and we think he would get excited in a race like that.”
The Great Southern Star in Melton on February 14 is a 1720m sprint series with heats and a final on the same evening.
“He can now get some extra time off and we can focus on the race on Miracle Mile night (Group 1 Hammerhead Mile) and that will lead well into the Cambridge race,” said McMullen.
The $100,000 Hammerhead Mile takes place in Menangle on March 14 and the $NZ600,000 TAB Trot in Cambridge on April 10.
Australians have won both the TAB Trots run so far with Just Believe in 2024 and Arcee Phoenix earlier this year.
“We think the Cambridge race would suit him and he handled the trip to New Zealand so well recently. It’s easier to get to and from Auckland,” McMullen said.
The other major target for Gus is the $500,000 Brisbane Inter Dominion final in July.
Next year will be Gus’ fourth attempt at the Inter Dominion.
At the age of four he first showed his talent with a third in a heat and a 10th in the 2023 Brisbane final, won by Just Believe.
He then broke in an opening round of the 2024 Sydney series and was subsequently dropped from the rest of the series.
In July this year, Gus came second and third in his two heats, before finishing a fantastic fourth in the final ahead of Arcee Phoenix.
Since then he has raced just five times, for four wins, including the two NZ Cup Week majors.
Through Adam Hamiltonfor Harness Racing Australia
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