Grass track test for hat-trick chasing Ghost Hunter

By Glenn Davis

Trainer Gary Doughty is hopeful former Sydneysider Ghost Hunter can bring his Gold Coast Polytrack form to town when the gelding chases a hat-trick of wins at Eagle Farm on Wednesday.

Ghost Hunter has won his past two Polytrack starts on his home surface at the Gold Coast and is aiming to stretch his winning sequence to three in the 0-65 Handicap over 1000 metres.

The five-year-old son of Super One started his career with Ron Quinton in Sydney but went winless in four starts before he was moved on to Scone trainer Mark Schmetzer.

Ghost Hunter won his maiden for Schmetzer and was placed at his only other start for him at Taree in February last year.

He was then transferred to Jenny Graham winning once in 11 starts before Doughty took over at the start of his current campaign.

“We’ve only had him for six runs for three wins and a second,” Doughty said.

“Ray Gall, the guy who raced Mamzelle Pedrille owns him as Gall Bloodstock.”

Mamzelle Pedrille won 11 of her 30 starts including the Group 2 Theo Marks at Rosehill and Group 3 Vo Rogue at Caulfield in 1996.

She also was sent to Brisbane placing in the Group 3 Winter Stakes at Eagle Farm that year and had two attempts to win the Stradbroke Handicap, finishing fourth to Danasinga in 1996 and seventh in her final start behind Dane Ripper the following year.

Doughty admits he was surprised with Ghost Hunter’s grass track form for his previous trainers.

“When we got him he’d only won once on a Good track so I tried him on the Poly and he handled it well," he said.

“He’s won three on the Poly and was beaten a neck in another run which he probably should have won.

“This is his first run for us on a grass track and we had planned to go to Ballina next month but when I saw the noms for this race we decided to have a go here in town.”

Doughty is confident Ghost Hunter will be competitive but is wary it’s his first grass start for the stable.

“We’re just hoping for the best really, but he should run well and he’s an on the pace runner,” he said.

“There’s no other Poly meeting at the Goild Coast until February. For some reason the Polytrack suits him so we’ll see soon where his future lies.”

Ghost Hunter will be ridden by apprentice Bailey Wheeler and has drawn awkwardly in barrier 11.