Owners face a QTIS Jewel dilemma with Hell Of A Bentley

By Glenn Davis

Owners of North Queensland youngster Hell Of A Bentley will be left with a dilemma if the colt maintains his unbeaten record in the QTIS Jewel qualifier at Townsville’s Cluden Park on Tuesday.

Hell Of A Bentley will have a strong case to head to the Gold Coast for next month’s $500,000 QTIS Jewel Final for two-year-olds if he repeats his impressive debut win over 1000 metres at Townsville on February 1.

“We’ll look at all the options if he wins but the only real issue to seriously consider is that he’s still in his first preparation,” trainer Les Gordy said. 

“I’m going into this run very confident despite his outside barrier.

“I was struggling to get a gallop into him because of the weather and track closures but I got a good beach gallop into him on Sunday so he’s ready to go.”

Hell Of A Bentley will be ridden by Chris Whiteley, replacing heavy weight rider Ashley Butler who was aboard in his narrow win on debut.

“The track was soft that day and with the rain we’ve had lately I’d prefer if it was soft again as it gives him an advantage over some of the others,” Gordy said.

“He missed the kick in his first run and had to come from behind to win and I reckon he would have put lengths on them had he jumped cleanly.

“I’m not worried about the draw and I’m going in confident he can win again.

“If he can jump away well, he’ll just sit in behind them.”

Gordy declared Hell Of A Bentley was a “steal” at $30,000 at the Magic Millions Ready To Run sale.

“He was passed in at the March sales when he had a virus and developed a throat problem,” he said.

“But, since his recovery there’s been no further issues with any infection.

“I couldn’t get down for the Ready To Runs and I was prepared to go to $60,000 for him as he’s a half-brother to Avone.”

The Tony and Maddysen Sears-trained Avone has shown above average ability.

Avone finished second to Robert Heathcote’s Magic Millions Guineas winner Abounding in the Listed Gold Edition Plate at Eagle Farm in the middle of December.

Avone valiantly tried to steal an all the way win when seventh, beaten only three lengths, by Group 1-winner Rothfire in the King Of The Mountain over 1200 metres at Toowoomba.