Walsh hopes The Home Team can kick a goal

By Glenn Davis

Trainer Nick Walsh will have one runner at Yeppoon on Tuesday and is hopeful The Home Team can complete back-to-back wins in the QTIS Three-Years-Old Handicap.

The Home Team – a Justin Huxtable mount - faces stiff opposition from a three-pronged attack from Mackay rival John Manzelmann and the unbeaten Ricky Vale-trained Lonhy’s Fabre.

The Home Team placed twice in his first three starts before breaking his maiden status in an 1100 metre race against his own age at Mackay on September 17.

“It was a good win over 1100 metres as he was looking for further then,” Walsh said.

“The 1100 metres didn’t suit him but he sat outside the leader and won quite convincingly."

A son of Impending, The Home Team has already proved to be a bargain buy for his owners who outlaid $16,000 for him as a yearling at the QTIS March sales at the Gold Coast.

His Mackay win took his prize money tally past the $28,000 mark.

“I think he’ll get better as he gets out in distance,” Walsh said.

“He should get out to 1600 metres eventually.”

Despite Manzelmann’s three-pronged attack with Mishani Destiny, Simply Tina and Mishani Opal, Walsh fears Lonhy’s Fabre as the main threat to The Home Team.

“I think Lonhy’s Fabre is the one to beat after his win at Mackay,” Walsh said.

“I saw him in the yard before the race and he looked a very nice horse and he went on to win quite well.”

Walsh has no big plans in mind with The Home Team, whose mother Done Deal failed to win in four starts.

“I’ll see how he goes but we’ve got no major plans with him at this stage,” Walsh said.

“Yeppoon is a tight track like Mackay so it should suit him.”

Walsh has only been training since the 2019-20 season but has built an impressive reputation in Central Queensland.

The 26-year-old works full-time as a business development manager but has grown up around horses his whole life and started off riding track work for fellow Rockhampton trainer Fred Smith while also dabbling in pre-training.

Walsh is currently striking at 37.5 per cent this season, ahead of last season’s strike rate of 28.3 per cent.