Hillier hoping Cobram raid brings Ideal start to 2022

Trainer Darrell Hillier has a nice American Ideal gelding in his Leeton barn and he’s sending him across the border for a Victorian cup raid to kick-start his five-year-old season.

The destination is Cobram and while Hillier’s lightly-raced charge Ideal Escape has drawn well in gate one, he’ll have his work cut out against some classy opposition in the $35,000 feature.

Group 1 Bonanza winner Boots Electric is first-up from a break for trainer Russell Jack, talented stablemate Blue Chip Delight has barrier two, while the older brigade of Zadaka (Greg Norman), Boy From Bondi (Wayne Potter) and Hashtag (Shaun McNaulty) all shape as winning chances in the Group 3 clash over the 2678m trip.

Hillier told thetrots.com.au he would likely use Ideal Escape’s gate speed in the early stages of the race and seemed confident of a good showing.

“He can come out, and I haven’t actually spoken to the guys yet to see what they want to do, but I’d say he would be coming out to hold his own,” Hillier, 65, said.

“I don’t know a lot of the Victorian horses, but from what I can go on, he should hold his own I think.”

Stewart Richards knows Ideal Escape well and will make the trip to Cobram to drive the five-year-old, who has won six of 19 starts for a tick over $40,000 in earnings.

“He drove this horse when he won the Country Series Final at Bathurst and he doesn’t drive a lot these days, but where he can he does have a drive,” Hillier, who currently works about a dozen horses, said.

Ideal Escape was tried in Queensland for an unsuccessful three-start campaign during November and heads to Cobram after a third placing in an NR up to 75 event at Wagga Wagga on December 21.

He isn’t the only horse from Leeton making the trip to Victoria for the Jim Phillips Memorial Cobram Pacing Cup, with Todd Prest sending down Sporty Dancer for the event. The four-year-old mare will be driven by Blake Jones and start from barrier three.

A quality field will also chase Group 2 glory in the Central Murray Credit Union Cobram Trotters Cup on Sunday.

Veteran driver Brian Gath will partner Tony Peacock-trained Illawong Stardust from a 10m handicap, while fellow Inter Dominion finalist Humble Ladd will have his first start for trainer Alex Ashwood off the same mark. Last year’s country cups champ Well Defined (Kate Hargreaves), Jackson Square (Mick Blackmore) and Travel Bug (Jason McNaulty) are also off 10m.

TrotsVision will be in full swing on Sunday, with Paul Campbell and Dan Hibberd joining caller Luke Humphreys to bring you all of the action.