Hunter opts for Derby with his gun filly

By Adam Hamilton 

Glenn Hunter isn’t sure if he’s done the right thing or not.

The Victorian-based Hunter is so in awe of Tracy The Jet, he swung a surprise move and opted to run his classy young trotting filly Gatesys Gem against the boys in the NZ Trotting Derby at Addington on Friday night rather than take on Tracy again in the Oaks.

“The way I looked at it was that we couldn’t beat Tracy because she’s in the zone and won so easily last week (in The Ascent),” he said.

“We ran second to her last week and beat the boys, so I thought we at least had some chance of winning the Derby.

“I guess I won’t know until race time if we did the right thing.”

Tracy The Jet drew the pole and is $1.25 to win the Oaks.

Gatesys Gem drew wide in gate seven in the Derby and is $6 equal third favourite behind Meant To Be ($2.15, gate 11) and Tarragindi ($5, five). Youneverknow (gate six) is also $6.

Luke McCarthy, who is in town to drive Kingman again in the Christian Cullen, will replace Nathan Jack, who drove Gatesys Gem last week.

McCarthy drove her to win the big Group 1 double, NSW Oaks and Derby, at Menangle in May.

Although one of Gatesys Gem’s greatest assets is her early speed, Hunter isn’t sure whether using it from a wide draw over 2600m is the best plan.

“I’ll leave it to Luke. He knows her well,” he said. “The 2600m makes it more of a risk to burn out early.”

Hunter said Gatesys Gem had thrived since her fighting, albeit well held, second to Tracy The Jet in The Ascent.

“She’s just kept building with every run this campaign, as I expected she would after an interrupted preparation,” he said.

“She’s loving it over here and so am I. Hopefully she runs another big race to cap off a memorable trip.”

Hunter confirmed Gatesys Gem would return home after this, but admitted he had looked at extending the trip to Auckland.

“She’s fixed odds favourite for a big race up there, but she’s never raced that direction and I’d only have two weeks to get her ready for it. I couldn’t do that to her,” he said.

Hunter said the experience of being part of NZ Cup Week would stay with him forever.

“It’s been amazing. We just don’t have anything anywhere near this back home,” he said.

“To come and see it has been fantastic, but to be part of it and have the filly run so well is even more amazing.”