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By Ray Hickson

Trainer Jack Pilkington wanted to target Saturday’s Tapp-Craig at Rosehill with promising colt Alabama State but after that race came up stronger than expected he’s setting his sights on another $500,000 race.

When the Tapp-Craig was afforded Listed status it attracted a number of more established three-year-olds so Pilkington said he had to fall back on the Midway Handicap (1400m).

Given he had targeted the Tapp-Craig, he’s expecting Alabama State to hold his current form at that level and make a case to run in the $500,000 Four Pillars Midway on Golden Eagle Day.

The Hawkesbury trainer said Alabama State’s last start second behind Unique Ambition in a 1300m Midway two weeks ago was an excellent performance considering he was forced back onto a part of the track both he and jockey Craig Williams didn’t want to be.

“Craig gave him a glowing report last time and said 1400m would be no problems,’’ he said.

“He’s got lots of ability, he’s still a bit raw and whatever we have now is a bonus for the autumn.

“We were finishing off on the slowest part of the track the other day which we tried to avoid but he was bumped back in that way by the winner.

Alabama State runs second at Rosehill on September 28

“I was happy enough where he settled but our aim was to get to the middle of the track in the straight. Unfortunately we got shunted back in and he had to go back in further to get around the tiring leader.

“I thought it was the run of the day on the slow lane. If he’d had a clear run in the fast lane we’d have given the winner a bit of a scare.”

Kerrin McEvoy rides Alabama State, $3.10 with TAB on Friday, in the Midway and Pilkington said he sees the race unfolding nicely.

In an ideal world he’ll be a couple of pairs back in the run and he’d like to see the colt strong at the finish to encourage him to press on to the Four Pillars.

“There’s nothing too complicated about the race, we know all those horses,’’ he said.

“The speed has drawn in 1,2,3, and 7, and I think we just end up trailing them. He jumps well but he doesn’t tend to get into stride as quick as a natural leader.

“Hopefully it’s all uncomplicated and we can get over the top.”

With that $500,000 race in mind, Pilkington had apprentice Zac Wadick put Alabama State through his trackwork on Tuesday to get a feel of the horse.

He currently has a 66 rating so a win would push his mark above the Benchmark 68 of the Four Pillars making an apprentice claim valuable.

“If Kerrin thinks he’ll get the 1500m we’ll put him in the Four Pillars and I’d likely take the 3kg off,’’ he said.

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Rosehill meeting