Local trainer Neil Godbolt is looking for history to repeat itself when Hippy High Ho chases back-to-back wins on his home track at Port Macquarie today.
Hippy High Ho ($5.50 on TAB fixed odds) bounced back from a number of below-par performances to score at Port Macquarie on November 16 and Godbolt hopes the five-year-old can hold his form again in Tuesday’s Prime7 Local News Benchmark 64 Hcp (1506m). The gelding’s previous form suggests he should be hard to beat – when he’s won in the past he has always put two victories together.
Hippy Hi Ho's previous back-to-back wins were back in February 2016 when he won a Taree Maiden followed by a Grafton Class 1 Hcp. His next wins came later last year when he won recorded back-to-back wins, both at Port Macquarie, on September 25 and October 8.
“It was good to see him get back to winning form last start as I had been very disappointed him before that,” said Godbolt. “I don’t know why his form had been down – his work had been good and I was happy with him, but he just hadn’t been finishing off his races.
“He’s back at Port Macquarie again on Tuesday and hopefully he can hold his winning form. He certainly has put back-to-back wins together in the past and his record at the track and distance is very good.”
Hippy High Ho has won three of his four starts over the track and distance and boasts an overall record of five wins form 26 starts. He has drawn ideally in barrier two in Tuesday’s 10-horse field (less two scratchings).
Godbolt didn’t have the same good fortune with the barrier draw for his mare Typhoon Bonny ($6.50 into $4.40) who resumes in the De Bortoli Wines Class 1 Hcp (1006m). The four-year-old Red Dazzler mare steps out for the first time since making her debut at Port Macquarie on July 15, leading all the way to win an 1100m Maiden by just over a length. Unfortunately she has drawn the outside gate in Tuesday’s 12-horse field.
“Her owner likes to be very patient with his horses – that’s why she didn’t make her debut until July and then we tipped her out again after just that one run last prep,” said the trainer. “She’s progressing quite nicely since her break, but that outside gate now makes it a bit tough for her.”
Godbolt has several other runners with chances at Tuesday’s eight-race meeting – Our Trolley Dolly (race two - $3.70 favourite), Real Son Of Gun (race three - $4) and Forever Alone (race five - $7).
The ex-Victorian galloper Real Son Of A Gun was having his first run for Godbolt when he resumed from 19-month layoff to run an encouraging half-length fourth to Arrossire over the unsuitable 1000m at Port Macquarie on November 16: “That was a nice effort first-up and he can only improve, but he’s now second-up after a long break and that might be the concern,” he said.
View the final fields with full form & race replays for Port Macquarie here