Racing: The Hombre confirms Reg's high rating

John Bary is going to shortly have to drop the line about being a Kiwi battler in Australia.

There was a time when it was popular for New Zealand horse trainers, when campaigning in Australia, to wear gumboots, put their hat on backwards and try to act like a close relative of the village idiot.

It helped the price.

Since 40-year-old Bary took good-class 3-year-old The Hombre on a Brisbane winter campaign a few weeks ago he has never missed an opportunity to portray himself and rider Jonathan Riddell as battlers.

In reality, Bary, from a blueblood Hastings background and a huge international polo-playing reputation, sits closer to Tom Cruise than Happy Gilmore.

And The Hombre has exposed that.

Bary knew the game was up when having a beer late last week in Brisbane's Hamilton Hotel just down the road from the racetrack.

"Reg, Bart Cummings' foreman, was standing in the corner having a beer and he yelled out: 'Come over here'.

"He said: 'That horse of yours is a very, very good horse. I think we'll be seeing you on the first Tuesday in November [Melbourne Cup]'.

"Reg isn't one to say a lot and I thought that was a hell of a compliment."

So was The Hombre's second Australian start on Saturday.

He couldn't quite follow up his A$125,000 Rough Habit Plate victory with a win in the A$150,000 Grand Prix, but you can argue his second was hardly less impressive than the sparkling performance by the winner, Kutchinsky.

The win has seen Kutchinsky replace The Hombre as favourite for the Queensland Derby in two weeks, but you can make the case there may not be much between the pair, despite what is now a significant odds differential.

Doomben on Saturday set up a pattern that greatly favoured the swoopers, which is not unusual, even though it is a significantly smaller course than Eagle Farm across the road.

The Hombre loomed up to take the lead early in the run home on Saturday, broke marginally clear then could not withstand the final sprint by Kutchinsky, who came from near last.

The pattern on the day did not suit The Hombre and what was impressive was the way he ground out the final stages of the 2200m, indicating the 2400m of the Derby is going to be perfect for him.

"Jonathan said the rain-affected track didn't help him yesterday," said Bary yesterday.

"He said the horse coped, but did it on sheer ability. He's a big-striding horse and he needs good ground.

"It didn't help yesterday that Walshy [David Walsh] walked the field up the back straight on Time Keeper. It's probably a lot harder to do what Kutchinsky did when there's been a really strong tempo, which The Hombre relishes."

Bary said The Hombre has continued to absolutely thrive in Australia. "He's not only doing well physically, each time he goes around he gets more professional mentally."

Australia's betting agencies yesterday had Kutchinsky between $2.60 and $2.80 favourite with The Hombre at between $5 and $4.50. The Bart Cummings-trained Landlord is at $6 and Sir Time Keeper at $8.