Mornington trainer Clayton Douglas is relishing the increased workload after recently taking over the Anthony and Sam Freedman stable.
The Freedman father-and-son training team were disqualified for 28 days last month following the conclusion of an accidental race-day treatment inquiry.
Douglas has stepped in as ‘caretaker’ trainer and has seen his numbers double, joking, ‘I was born for this’.
While he oversees the Freedman team of horses, his own have not been neglected, with his Everest winner Giga Kick in work and preparing for a first-up tilt at the Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m) at Sandown in September.
With Giga Kick taking pride of place in the Douglas stable, the work continues with Mr Waterville as the jumps season draws to a close.
Douglas, who won the Grand National Hurdle as a jockey, has that race on the agenda for Mr Waterville at Sandown next month, with a part of the jumper’s program being the Deane Lester Flemington Cup 1849 (2800m) at Flemington on Saturday.
A winner of the Australian Hurdle at Sandown in May, Mr Waterville has been a find over jumps this campaign, and Douglas believes the gelding can acquit himself well on the flat on Saturday.
At his most recent flat outing, Mr Waterville finished eighth over 2540m at Flemington on June 20. When prepared by Chris Waller, who retains a share in the ownership of the gelding, he finished second in the 2800m contest held on Melbourne Cup Day.
“He’ll have a little tick over run on Saturday before he runs in the National,” Douglas said.
“The 2800 (metres) at Flemington will suit him. He ran really well there over the 2500 (metres) last time and he’s been a good performer over the 2800 at Flemington before.
“He ran second at that distance on Cup Day, so we know the trip will be no problem, and for what we’ve seen on the flat recently, I’m sure he might be one of the chances, especially with no weight on his back.”
With two big prize money races on offer to close out the jumps season in Victoria, Douglas is considering his options with Mr Waterville.
The $250,000 Grand National Hurdle (4200m) looks a lock, while the $350,000 Grand National Steeplechase (4500m) at Ballarat on August 16 is being considered.
“He’s had a long preparation, but the jumping has been the trick to getting him going,” Douglas said.
“He’s been able to get some good prize money in the last eight weeks and hopefully he can keep going towards some of the bigger jump’s races.
“There’s the Grand National Hurdle on August 2 and then we’ll just sum things up, but there is a chance he may switch into the Grand National Steeplechase a fortnight later.
“I am mindful it is his first jumping campaign, and I’d love to get him back down to Warrnambool to win a Brierly or the Grand Annual next year with him.
“I think we took the sting out of him in the Lafferty (over jumps most recently when second) by backing him up seven days after his Flemington run, so he might go into the National Hurdle a little bit fresher.”
Get the latest racing odds for the Grand National Hurdle.
