Emotional times if Kipling's Journey wins at Eagle Farm

By Glenn Davis

There won’t be a dry eye at Eagle Farm on Wednesday if promising five-year-old Kipling’s Journey maintains his unbeaten record this campaign.

Kipling’s Journey – an Adin Thompson mount – will be chasing his third city win and his fifth in 21 starts in the Benchmark 68 Handicap over 1400 metres.

Kipling’s Journey is raced in a big syndicate including the estate of Dave Garratt who was a keen racing enthusiast and part-owner of several other horses in the Peter and Will Hulbert stable.

Garratt, a former SAS soldier who served in the Middle East and criminal lawyer, died suddenly at his home just before Christmas last year. 

Garratt’s young son Alexander was given a share in the ownership of Kipling’s Journey following his father’s death and the Hulberts now train his share for free to help pay for his education.

“It’s a very emotional story and will keep going,” co-trainer Peter Hulbert said. 

“Dave was a very close friend of my son, Will, who put the syndicate together with Dave and a lot of his legal friends.”

A son of Zoustar, Kipling’s Journey was a cheap $20,000 buy as a yearling and is coming off an impressive first-up win over 1350 metres at Ipswich on August 18.

It was his first win since November last year. 

“He was a cast-off from the ready to run sale,” Peter said.

“Aquis had him early on and he was recommended to us by his breaker.

“He was a magnificent type but he was all legs and looked like a spider.

“Will got a few of his mates together to buy him and had $80,000 in the kitty but there was no reserve on him at the sale and they got him for $20,000.”

Kipling’s Journey has won up to 2040 metres but 'Team Hulbert' has decided to keep him to shorter races.

“Will rides him in all his work but he’s a terrible puller on the track,” Peter said.

“We’ve always had an opinion of him and we tried him over ground last preparation but we’ve decided to keep him fresh and run him over shorter trips around 1400 to 1600 metres.”

The Hulberts were disappointed when Kipling’s Journey drew barrier 16.

“We can’t seem to draw an alley for some reason but he’ll come in several places without the emergencies,” Peter said.