It’s never a straightforward task to refine a horse that has been through the stable of Irish master Aidan O’Brien.
This is the challenge Ballarat trainer Patrick Kearney is currently facing with Chief Little Rock, a former galloper owned by Lloyd and Nick Williams, who also had a stint with Anthony and Sam Freedman.
Kearney secured Chief Little Rock for $40,000 via an Inglis Digital Sale. The stayer is slated to compete in the Sportsbet Green Tick Handicap (2500m) this Saturday, his fourth start for the Ballarat-based trainer.
Kearney described Chief Little Rock as a ‘project horse,’ without major ambitions at this stage, although the trainer is keen to target the Tasmanian Summer Carnival early next year.
“This preparation we’re just working him out and spending time, finding his groove, and then next prep hopefully will be the making of him,” Kearney said.
“He’ll probably go down to Tasmania for the Cups if he’s showing enough ability to be able to do that.
“He does have the ability. He was always going to be a project to see if we could find it (form) and find the bottom of the horse.
“He was brought over here with higher expectations which he hasn’t exceeded too yet.
“Hopefully we can get him right and eventually he can run in some of these nice races.”
Chief Little Rock was comfortably accounted for in his first two runs for Kearney, both at Flemington, before a hurdle school session led to an improved performance at Sandown on August 22.
“He’s a tricky horse to ride,” Kearney commented.
“He’s very strong and doesn’t know how to come back.
“He was a pacemaker over in Ireland for Aidan O’Brien and we’re trying to do the complete opposite with him and get him to relax and chill out.
“He went so hard at Flemington the second time that I thought it would be best to give him a school over the hurdles to see it could bring him back a bit.
“He was excellent at it. It was good to see that as it is a possible back-up plan for the future if need be.”
Having won at Group 3 level in Ireland and achieved three further Stakes placings in Europe, Chief Little Rock has been allocated 62kg for Saturday’s race.
Kearney noted that it would have made sense to use a claiming apprentice on the gelding, but he has instead opted for jockey Jason Holder.
“We had the option to claim with the massive eight kilo weight difference,” Kearney stated.
“But if I went over there and put an apprentice on that didn’t really know him, it would be suicide, so going with the leading rider over there, is probably the best option.
“This preparation is all about the project and the planning and seeing where he is at and what he needs to do.”
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