McGuire Gelding Ready to Go Nuclear

Wulguru trainer Matt McGuire is keeping his carnival options open with under-rated galloper Going Nuclear as his winter campaign continues at Cluden Park on Sunday.

The consistent five-year-old is strongly fancied in the Vale Shane McGovern Open Hcp (1400m) after eye-catching placings at his past two starts.

McGuire is confident the five-time winner is close to his peak on the back of a late closing third to leading Cups candidate Smart Legend and Astra Star over 1400m at Cluden earlier this month.

And with regular rider Olivia Kendel (2kg claimer) back aboard, Sunday’s race is ideal despite a trick draw in barrier nine.

He rates Going Nuclear his stable’s best carnival candidate but is still undecided on whether to go on a sprinting or cups path.

“The horse is performing well and we’re really looking forward to Sunday,” McGuire said.

“The form lines are very good from his last start. The winner Smart Legend won the Mackay Amateurs Cup at his next start and Astra Star is pretty smart and probably city class.

“So to be hitting the line just behind them, we’re obviously pretty excited for the future.

“I think he’s still fresh enough and will be sharp enough for the 1400m.

“It’s also a big plus to have Olivia back on him. She’s won four on him and has a great association with the horse.

“She’s back on and is in form with a couple of winners in the south and I think she’ll be pretty keen to win on him again.”

Going Nuclear, formerly trained by Danny O’Brien in Melbourne, has won up to 1609m and McGuire is toying with the idea of testing the son of sprinting sire Nicconi over a longer trip.

He said he’ll monitor the galloper’s progress in two planned starts over a mile and weigh up his options.

“We know our bloke’s heading in the right direction with the winter carnival coming up,” McGuire said.

“At the start of his preparation we didn’t know whether to target the Cleveland Bay or a Townsville Cup.

“He settling so well in the run and his pet distance is a mile and we started thinking can he stretch out to 2000m. 

“There’s a mile in a few weeks, then the Magnetic Mile so he’ll get a couple of mile races under his belt and we’ll make a decision about where we go from there.

“Maybe when he gets deeper into his preparation he might be stout enough to get the 2000m.”

Sunday’s eight-event card kicks off at 12.30pm with the Great Northern Brewing Co. QTIS 3YO Hcp (1300m).