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By Ray Hickson

Trainer Tash Burleigh sees unbeaten three-year-old Iron Will’s city debut at Warwick Farm on Wednesday as a learning experience for both her and the horse.

Trainer Tash Burleigh (pic: Bradley Photos).

The Goulburn trainer suspects she has an above average gelding on her hands after two runaway country wins and as much as the Blue Point First Yearlings Handicap (1000m), a Benchmark 64, is a nice transition it’s an opportunity for Iron Will to gain some much needed experience.

And for Burleigh to get some idea where his level could be.

He debuted on his home track back in August and put four lengths on maiden rivals on a heavy track then emerged at Moruya just over two weeks ago and made light work of a Class 1.

“He’s still got a lot to learn. This might be a bit of the deep end for him but he’s gone so well at his last two starts and done it so effortlessly,’’ Burleigh said.

“He’s a bit cheeky and a bit playful and we want him to learn a little bit. It profiles perfectly on paper for him, it’s the perfect next step.

“We want him to get amongst it and learn a bit more and run a really good race so we’ve got a horse for the future. With a few more starts we might learn he’s a little bit better than a Highway horse or he might be that level.”

After jumping with them at Moruya, Iron Will darted underneath the pack to lead before extending the margin early in the straight and coasting to a 1-1/4 length win that earned a pat from jockey Billy Owen about 50m from home.

Burleigh said it was noticeable that the horse laid out in the straight and, while she’d be more than happy to lead again, she believes at least 1200m won’t be beyond the horse so she hopes the tempo of a city race will allow him to relax more.

“He’s into looking at other horses doing things over the other side of the track, the penny just has to drop with him,’’ she said.

“I think the best way he’s going to learn is with racing. We didn’t anticipate him winning his first two starts, it’s really great that he did, but we want a horse for the future and this race is perfect for him.

“Billy’s just got to jump and let him find his feet and roll along.

"Thankfully there’s a few speedy horses in it which is good, it should hopefully get him amongst it and let him see what racing is all about instead of just jumping to the lead and running around like it’s a trial.

“There was no way Billy could bring him back last time and I think that’s why the horse laid out a bit, he panicked a bit wondering why they were all chasing him.

“When I saw this race it looks like a provincial race and it will be the perfect step up for him. There shouldn’t be too much pressure on the day at the track as well.”

Iron Will wins at Moruya on December 18

Iron Will was $4.40 with TAB on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Burleigh was rapt to have To The Nines earn his eligibility for the Big Dance and Little Dance via a second placing in Monday’s Moruya Cup and is now setting her sights on qualifying the gelding for another shot at the Newhaven Park Country Championships.

The five-year-old finished runner-up in the South East Championships at Nowra last year, but was unplaced in the Final, and he’ll likely go straight into the $150,000 feature run this year at Moruya on March 5 without another run.

All the fields, form and replays for Wednesday’s Warwick Farm meeting