By MICHAEL GUERIN
Racing's forgotten hero may be ready to reclaim his lost glory - thanks to a little self-control.
Multiple New Zealand record holder Courage Under Fire is only 10 days away from the most important opportunity of his life, the Interdominions in Brisbane.
Victory in the series would thrust him back to the head of the Australian pacing ranks and re-establish him as a commercial stallion prospect.
Defeat will see him almost certainly written off as a champion age-group performer who couldn't cop the physical and mental pressures of open-class racing. That, coupled with his size, would make him a hard sell as a stallion.
But New South Wales trainer Brain Hancock is confident Courage Under Fire will seize his opportunity and put his career back on track.
Hancock was as disgusted as the punters who backed Courage Under Fire down to even money favouritism in the Victoria Cup in February. The little horse stopped badly in the straight after having an easy lead.
"I took him home to the paddock and we didn't talk for three days," said Hancock.
But a change of training and the arrival of autumn have helped Courage Under Fire.
Hancock has been working the 5-year-old harder and the stallion has been able to handle the extra work because he has got his sex drive under control.
Courage Under Fire spent most of the spring and summer tearing around his paddock screaming at mares in season, hardly the ideal rest programme for an elite equine athlete. His out-of-control libido left him far too light in condition to handle racing's hottest stage - the Grand Circuit.
But as autumn has settled in and the mares have stopped advertising themselves quite as much, Courage Under Fire has managed to get his mind back on the job.
"He is nowhere as colty now as he was in the summer," said Hancock stable foreman Mark Tracey.
"That had helped him and he trialled extra-good last Saturday so we are going into the series pretty confident."
Courage Under Fire went within a tick of the Bulli track record for 2350m mobile last Saturday, pacing his last 800m in an impressive 56 seconds.
"Even though we are working him harder he is handling it a lot better and he will be very fit by the time we get to Brisbane," said Tracey.
"All we can hope for now is a good draw in the first heat and some luck because it is a hard track to come from back on."
Even after a disastrous series Courage Under Fire is being kept relatively safe by bookies, and is at $13 in Australia.
* David Butt has a problem with New Zealand Derby favourite City Rogue.
The Canterbury driver is convinced the upstanding 3-year-old is a better horse when finishing over the top of his rivals at the end of a race rather than trying to lead.
But he has the perfect draw to try to lead throughout in the $100,000 Addington classic on Saturday night.
City Rogue was again slightly disappointing when run down by Country Ways in last Friday's Flying Stakes at Addington after looking a certainty on the home bend.
"He was bolting at the 300m and I thought he would win but he didn't find the line that last little bit," said Butt.
"I think he is better chasing other horses at the finish, particularly at the moment while he is still a bit mentally immature."
So Butt would like to take a trail from barrier two in the Derby but realises he probably can't.
"My horse should lead early but if I hand up the front to Young Rufus, who might also want the lead, then he in turn could end up giving the lead away to Rare Gem.
"That is what I would do in their situation because Rare Gem would be a good horse to follow, but that could put me three back on the markers.
"It is going to make for an interesting tactical race because while Country Ways won well last week I still think my horse and Mark Purdon's two are the horses to beat."
City Rogue will open a $3.50 equal favourite with Rare Gem, who has drawn barrier seven, on the TAB fixed odds market today.
Even after disgracing himself again last week Young Rufus (barrier three) is being kept safe by the TAB at $6.50. Country Ways will open at $5.50, and Matai Mackenzie at $8 is the only other runner in single figures.
The latter did not have a lot of luck in the Flying Stakes but his chances on Saturday have not been helped by a second line draw, which will negate the advantage his gate speed usually gives him.
* All Hart's campaign to be named the best juvenile in New Zealand received a major boost yesterday when he drew the ace in Saturday night's $50,000 Welcome Stakes.
The group-two feature is the second major 2-year-old race of the season and All Hart won the first, the Juvenile Championship at Alexandra Park last month, from the same draw.
He is one of six northerners in the race, including Rhonite Rock who has joined the Fred Fletcher stable.
Racing: Courage back as sex drive wanes
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.