Guts has only been in Nathan Carroll’s stables for a bit over a month and he might not be there much longer but the Dubbo trainer-driver is keen on making hay while the sun shines.
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Previously in the stables of Reginald Brown, the owners opted to switch the five-year-old gelding to Carroll’s care when he was still based at Newcastle.
He then moved back home to Dubbo and took Guts with some him, despite some concern from the owners, but it has paid off so far.
He took out a heat of the Dubbo RSL Club Pace on his Dubbo Paceway debut and on Wednesday evening he will line up in the $8,160 final.
“I’ve only had him for four of five weeks. The boys there at Penrith sent him down to me and just said do your best,” Carroll said.
The win at Dubbo was followed by a second-placed finish at Parkes last week, in what Carroll said was just a chance for Guts, who has scored two wins and seven placings from 30 starts, to remain fresh heading into Wednesday’s final.
“He should have won but he broke a bit of gear,” Carroll said. “Otherwise he would have run them down.”
While he has been told Guts is better when moving from the back late, and having seen it himself, Carroll maybe tempted to move forward in Wednesday’s feature.
He will start from gate one, with no genuine speed appearing in the front row.
“Hopefully I can get a hold and get an easy second quarter there and once Destiny Warrior makes a move I’ll go and make it work harder,” Carroll said.
“That looks the main danger but hopefully I can make it harder to chase me down.”
If Guts is to win the Dubbo RSL Club Pace Final, he may well be on the move again.
Carroll stated there is the temptation to move him up to Queensland should he keep performing well around the local region and start moving up in class.
In terms of his own driving, Carroll has enjoyed some consistent form lately.
Now back settled in Dubbo and working alongside his father, the trainer-driver is experiencing plenty of success.
“It’s good to be back,” he said. “I’ve got about nine in work with Dad so that’s enough to keep us busy and I’m enjoying it.
“I’ve been doing some freelance driving around the place. I’m on a bit of a roll.”
Carroll has two other drives on Wednesday, as well as Guts.
He will drive Packnplenty for Ashlee Grives in the third race of the night while he will be in the gig of Miss Kenny in the night’s final event.
Racing starts at 6.09pm on Wednesday , with the Dubbo RSL Club Pace Final at 8.13pm and the night’s tenth and last race at 10.10pm.