Wapiti returns after year off with injury

By Glenn Davis

Caloundra trainer Gary “Jack” Duncan hopes to know more if Group 3 winner Wapiti is on the right path for winter carnival riches after the gelding makes his comeback at Doomben on Saturday.

Wapiti hasn’t raced for 15 months since suffering a serious suspensory injury when he beat two home in the Magic Millions Trophy at the Gold Coast in January last year.

“The vets at the time said he’d be lucky to race again after he injured his suspensory but he’s as sound as a bell now after I gave him plenty of time out in the paddock,” Duncan said.

Wapiti has won five of his 29 starts but is yet to win first-up in four attempts.

“Time in the paddock was the only cure for him and he’s going well now,” he said.

“He’s been in work about three months, but he came back from the paddock a couple of times before that and did plenty of work on the water walker.

“He’s had a couple of jump outs and is ready to go although he may be a little rusty first-up.

“I think he’ll run really well, and Taylor Marshall has taken the ride.”

Duncan is undecided on his winter program but is resigned to tackling the second-tier races during the Queensland Winter Carnival.

“We’ll know more after tomorrow but he’ll be set for the longer races between 1600 and 2000 metres, but he won’t be going in any Group 1 races,” he said.

Wapiti carries the nickname “Moose” around Duncan’s stables because of his large head.

Now a six-year-old, Wapiti gave Duncan his biggest win of his training career when he claimed the Group 3 Winx Stakes at the Sunshine Coast in 2020.

The son of Love Conquerors All has since gone on to win the Toowoomba Cup over 2000 metres and Mooloolaba Cup over 1600 metres at the Sunshine Coast in 2021.

After the Mooloolaba Cup, he was placed three times in races over 2000 metres and more including the Shoot Out at Doomben in January last year before the Magic Millions Trophy.

Duncan rates the Tony Gollan-trained Hilal as the main threat to Wapiti.

Hilal – a James Orman mount – won three times for Team Hawkes in Sydney before being transferred to Gollan at the start of the year.

A four-year-old son of Fastnet Rock, Hilal beat two home in his Queensland debut at Eagle Farm on March 4 before a vastly improved second when edged out by the Rob Heathcote-trained The Big Goodbye over 1200 metres at Eagle Farm two weeks ago.