Blue trip up the cape for Toowoomba stable

By Jordan Gerrans

Cluden Park is a serious hike from the Darling Downs of Queensland but horseman Jake Capewell has a method to his madness with the long trip away with promising youngster Bluish Hue. 

Townsville Turf Club will on Saturday host their annual juvenile feature for the season, the $100,000 QTIS 2YO Classic over 1200 metres.

It is an annual feature event that many barns in Central and North Queensland target with their babies.

So, when Toowoomba’s Capewell and his undefeated gelding came up in the nominations, it would have surprised many. 

Sending Bluish Hue north has been a somewhat long-term plan for Capewell and his connections as the son of Flying Artie has been in Mackay for the last week or so to acclimatize to the local conditions. 

The 35-year-old Capewell thinks it is a plan that could pay serious dividends. 

“It is a long way to go but it is a big money race,” Capewell said.

“The ownership group were really keen to go up there because of the money that was on offer compared to if we went to a midweek race around South East Queensland now during the carnival.

“We were going to be racing for less money in a potentially stronger field if we stayed down here.

“Our theory was we would try and get away from the carnival hype and horses.

“We are throwing him in the deep end a bit, but I think we will see the best of him with age and maturity. The best is yet to come with him.”

Bluish Hue has only been to the races once in his short career but has an unblemished record, scoring at Clifford Park in the middle of May.

The bay gelding had trialled smartly before his first-up assignment.

Capewell describes the youngster as ‘raw’ and says he showed his natural ability to win over the sharp trip first-up.

“The 1000 metres was only just long enough for him,” the trainer said of his debut performance.

“He has trained on nicely from that win and I think he is going to love the Townsville track a lot better than he did the Toowoomba track.

“I think the 1200 metres will be suited. He will come on from his start at Toowoomba.

“He has always been a big, raw horse and we never really expected to be an up and going two-year-old but as he has progressed through his work, he has taken everything in his stride.

“He has gone from strength to strength.”

As well as preparing his own team, Capewell also works for leading trainer Tony Gollan as his educator of young stock. 

The renowned horseman works his stable out of the Bahram training and spelling centre on the Darling Downs as well as using his farm which is not far away.

Capewell’s fiancé previously worked for Mackay mentor Lyle Wright and Bluish Hue has been in his care in recent days in Central Queensland. 

The trainer is hopeful Bluish Hue will get out to 1400 metres eventually and will consider heading into the city with the gelding if the North Queensland sojourn proves fruitful.

Despite having confidence in his baby, Capewell does admit there is a query if he is going to handle all the travel.

“We got him up there nice and early, it will almost be two weeks by the time the race comes around,” he said.

“We hoped that would give him the chance to settle in.

“He is a big athletic horse being a two-year-old, he has not had to do a lot of work in between with the travel. We have been mindful to not overtax him with the travel.

“I can see him racing up to what he did at Toowoomba.”

Capewell is likely to be in action on his home deck as well on Saturday with Rumbling Away nominated for the Benchmark 62 Handicap over 1625 metres at Toowoomba Turf Club on Saturday.

Leading local trainer Georgie Holt has three runners set for Saturday’s rich QTIS 2YO Classic at Cluden Park.