Long range Cleveland Bay plans for Demon Award

By Glenn Davis

Trainer Les Gordy has pencilled in long range plans to target the Cleveland Bay Handicap during the Northern Queensland Winter Racing Carnival after former Victorian sprinter Demon Award makes his comeback at Cluden Park on Thursday.

Demon Award steps out for the first time since September when the four-year-old lines-up in the Benchmark 70 Handicap over 1200 metres.

A son of Shamus Award, Demon Award was originally trained in Melbourne by Leon and Troy Corstens until he was sold for $37,500.

“A mate of mine rang me up asking if I would buy him and we got him for a good price,” Gordy said.

“I expected he’d go for around $60,000 but he was sold for $37,500.”

Gordy usually spells his new stable acquisitions but was surprised when he first set eyes on the gelding.

“When he stepped off the float he walked out like he had just come from Bowen, not Melbourne,” Gordy said.

“He is a very tough horse.”

Demon Award has already repaid his owners, who gambled on buying him, with two wins from three starts.

He was an easy winner in his stable debut wining by more than four lengths at Townsville in August 12 last year before finishing a close second over 1250 metres at Cairns two weeks later.

Demon Award was turned out for the summer instead of heading to Brisbane after winning a set weights Class 3 Plate over 1250 metres at Cairns on September 9.

“We were thinking about sending him to Brisbane but he’s not a Magic Millions horse so we decided to put him out in the paddock during the hotter months,” Gordy said.

“He had a bit of bad luck the day he ran second in Cairns as he hurt himself a week before the race and I couldn’t get enough work into him.

“He went into that race a little underdone and he was all over the shop so I put a lugging bit on and a tongue tie and he won again last start.”

Gordy can see Demon Award has matured during his break and is hopeful he can measure up to the Northern Queensland Winter Racing Carnival. 

“The Cleveland Bay is his goal but we’ve got to get his rating up as they have to be in the 80’s to get a start in it,” Gordy said.

“I’d like to think he’s up to Cleveland Bay quality as he’s matured so much in the paddock.

“He’ll be competitive first-up but it’s been a bit difficult to work him the last week or so with the cyclone which went through Townsville.

“He was supposed to have a hard gallop a few days ago but the cyclone came so we could only do slow work.”