Good judge Gudge upbeat about Burdekin duo

Astute Home Hill trainer Ricky Gudge is brim full of confidence that his small Burdekin stable can deliver a winning blow at Cluden Park tomorrow.

 Gudge will saddle up barrier rogue Rebel Lake in the Book An Event at Cluden Hcp (1400m) and the speedy Keighley Son in the C.U.B. Hcp (1000m) and rates both genuine first-up winning hopes.

 “I couldn’t be happier with them. I expect them both to run very big races,” Gudge said.

 “Rebel Lake is up in grade and it’s obviously a tougher race for him, but he can gallop and after his work the other morning he wouldn’t have blown a candle out.

 “Keighley Son has been working extremely well and he’s ready to run a huge race.”

 Gudge, who trained successfully in the 1990s with a small but select team of horses, returned to the training ranks last year after a 15 year absence.

 He has been the president of the Burdekin Race Club for a number of years, but said a family tragedy in the 2019 floods inspired him to take up training again.

 “My brother-in-law Ron Scott lost his son Justin in the flood waters two years ago. It was devastating for the family. Ron came to me and said I think we should get back into it with a few horses and that’s what influenced me,” Gudge said.

 “Ron, myself and Jeremy Caspanello get down the stables every morning and work with the horses and we’ve got a great thing going.

 “It’s never easy to work them down here, but we give them pace work out of the utility and we’re lucky enough to have Dominic Hogan, who works on Joe Rapisarda’s horses, come here three times a week to gallop them.

 “Both of our horses can gallop and we’ve won a few races already.

 “Rebel Lake is a rogue at the barriers but once you get him in he’s fine. I’ve changed by training ways to get horses ready for 1400m first-up and it worked with him when he won his maiden.

 “I don’t think we’ll see the best of him until he gets over 1600m or 2000m.

 “Keighley Son in in a suitable 1000m race but with a tricky gate. I’d like to see Scott (Sheargold) get a bit of cover and be a bit patient before he goes for him.”

 Meanwhile, cups contender Bon Hoffa strikes the perfect trip in the Function Spaces Open Hcp (1609m).

 Bon Hoffa has had three runs back from a spell and loves the mile at Cluden with two wins and two placings from five starts.

 Atherton trainer Roy Chillemi, who led in a winning treble at Cluden last week, has strong prospects with Mystery ’N’ Magic in the Book Your Event@Cluden Hcp (1400m) and Love Is Blind in the Brown Brothers Open Hcp (1200m).

Pictured: Rebel Lake and co. after cruising to victory at Cluden. The pair will be out to repeat the dose tomorrow. Photo courtesy of Mike Mills Photography.