FRESH from a week-long fishing trip to Kangaroo Island, veteran Hamilton trainer Tony Laidlaw is quietly confident his first Flemington runner in 10 years will be competitive in a $40,000 restricted race this afternoon.
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Laidlaw, who returned on Wednesday to oversee final work for It’sall Aboutharry before today’s 2000-metre event, gave credit to his wife Gail and former leading Hamilton trainer Barbara Marshman for looking after the five-year-old while he was in South Australia.
“I had a week away with the former jockey David Whitney,” he said.
“We’re great mates and go away a couple of times in the year. We caught a fair few fish. I was really lucky that Gail and Barb were at home looking after It’sall Aboutharry.
“It’sall Aboutharry looks a million dollars. Its a big jump in class from a race at Hamilton to Flemington but he deserves the chance. He won really well at Hamilton last time.”
Countless winners have come from Laidlaw’s stables over the last 51 years and he hopes the run will continue despite only having a small team. “We’ve only got the two horses in work,” Laidlaw said.
“We just potter around with a couple. It suits us.
“Gail and I just love being involved with the horses. It’sall Aboutharry has been lightly raced. The trick to him is he does not like wet tracks,” the 72-year-old horseman said.
“It’s been 10 years since I had a runner at Flemington and that was Fleet Ami and he won.
“I’m just hopeful that It’sall Aboutharry will be competitive. I reckon he’ll be suited to the 2000 metres of today’s race.”
It’sall Aboutharry is rated a $9 chance in early betting markets for the benchmark70 race.
Warrnambool trainer Aaron Purcell saddles up King Of Dudes in a benchmark84 race over 2540 metres and fellow trainer Symon Wilde has Great Lane in the same event.
The last-start Port Fairy Cup winner Youbolt runs in a benchmark90 race over 1420 metres for Jarrod McLean.
Matthew Williams accepted with the consistent Reigning Meteor in a benchmark78 1200-metre race.
Darren Weir’s Warrnambool satellite stable will be represented by The Sicilian in the same race as It’sall Aboutharry.