Cooroi gallops to stardom

A rousing gallop with a noted track worker has Cooroi Chase primed to confirm her rating as major player for the winter carnival two-year-old races.

Cooroi Chase created a major impression when she won a trial by 16 lengths and backed it up on debut at Doomben three weeks ago,

The lines up in the $75,000 Mandate Two Year Old (1050m) at Doomben on Saturday.

Peter Hulbert, who trains the filly in partnership with his son Will, finds it hard to contain his enthusiasm for the filly.

“I have been around for a long time and I know not to get carried away. After all it is racing and anything can happen,” Hulbert said.

“But this filly never ceases to amaze me.”

He said Cooroi Chase had a strong gallop with Lady Duporth on Saturday morning.

“Lady Duporth is one of the best track workers around. But Michael (Hellyer) had to take a double-hold on Cooroi Chase at the 200 metres so the other one could keep up,” Hulbert said.

Cooroi Chase won her trial and race on heavy tracks but Hulbert can hardly wait to get her on a dry surface.

“We actually held up her first race start because we wanted a dry track. But in the end we had no choice. Just wait until she gets a firm surface,” he said.

All going well, Cooroi Chase will follow a traditional path through the winter in the Group Two Champagne Classic, the Group Two BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes and the Group One J J Atkins Stakes.