By Garry Dell
Townsville trainer Les Gordy has long-range plans for ambitious progressive four-year-old gelding Captain Bond after his impressive win in an Open Handicap at Bowen on Thursday.
Captain Bond, the winner of three of his four starts for Gordy since moving from the Gold Coast, was having his first start in Open company and graduated with flying colours to win comfortably by almost a length under jockey Jackson Murphy.
After a slightly tardy start, Murphy stoked him up to settle second before putting the race to bed from the home turn when he went to the lead and wasn't seriously challenged.
Gordy said he was delighted with the win and the way the horses handled the three-hour road trip.
"I'll just see how he recovers over the next couple of days and there's a nice Class 6 race over 1300 metres at Townsville on January 20," Gordy said.
"I would like to think he could measure up to possibly the Cleveland Bay at Cluden during the winter but there are plenty of other suitable races for him at Cluden and Cairns over shorter distances and he might even get to 1400 metres or beyond as he matures.
"He's only had 13 starts for five wins and hasn't been in my stable very long but has settled in well.
"If I don't start him at Townsville I'll turn him out for a short break and bring him back into the stable to get ready for the carnivals.
"I don't like to give horses too much of a break outside the stables during the hot weather months as they don't seem to spell too well."
Gordy is also planning a Brisbane foray with four-year-old Shamus Award gelding Demon Award.
Demon Award is a winner of two of his three starts for Gordy.
"He toyed with them here first-up back in August before a close second at Cairns and then winning at Cairns," Gordy said.
"We know he can travel so we'll see how he progresses and look towards a Brisbane trip."
Gordy has five horses in work at the moment and a two-year-old filly being pre-trained by Michael Nolan at Toowoomba.
He bred the filly from his good race mare Allez Troienne who won four races with three seconds from 28 starts.
"She showed a lot of promise and could match it on the track with our best horse Bullion Wolf until injuries brought about her retirement in 2020," Gordy said.
"We sent her to Kobayashi at Aquis and she has produced the filly who Michael reported was progressing well."
Gordy was pleased with the effort of Hallside Hammer in the Country Stampede Final at Doomben and said the horse had returned home in good condition.