Can Hugo make it a quick-fire winning treble?
Trainer Ollie Pears absolutely adores the mare Barbieri. She is Let's Go Hugo's (known as Hugo to all his shareholders) mother. She was also mother to the now retired duo, Roaring Rory (a winner 6 times for Ownaracehorse, as well as 15 places) and also, Ready Freddie Go (9 wins and 6 places). That's a family with a heck of a lot of winners!
Let's Go Hugo will probably be the last of the Barbieri's to race, but he's been proving over the last few weeks that he's no back number at the age of six. Witness his destruction of a handicap at Wolverhampton, winning unchallenged, and then running out an easy length and a half winner at Lingfield eight days later. Some sprinters can have these sorts of spurts, and Hugo is certainly in excellent form. We are now looking to Newcastle on Wednesday for this diminuitive gelding to make it a treble - three wins on the trot.
Hugo is declared to race at Newcastle over five furlongs at 4-45pm on Wednesday 2nd September. There are eight declared for the race.
And a look at that race makes you feel a treble could well be on the cards. With only eight runners and with few of these recording wins recently, Hugo could well go in again, despite carrying a 5lb penalty for his Lingfield success. The one fly in the ointment is a horse called Lady Bouquet, trained by Philip Kirby (a past trainer for Ownaracehorse!). She won her last outing at Musselburgh only last week.
However, when you look through the form for these two, they have actually met before. Last summer Lady Bouquet won, beating Hugo by a length and a quarter at Catterick over five furlongs. The mare had 13lb in hand on Hugo that day, and on Wednesday... only five pounds - allowing for the 5lb allowance Tom Keily-Marshall will claim off Hugo's back.
Tom has ridden Hugo beautifully the last two times, judging his challenge in the closing stages to perfection.
It's going to be a fascinating race. And as you can expect, there will be a huge contingent of Hugo's current owners up at Newcastle to cheer this really likeable gelding home. Let's hope he gets a good start, and comes with his traditional rattling late run once again!
And don't forget - If you are looking for some fun at the All-Weather racecourses through this winter, shares in Hugo are already available for his All-Weather campaign from November through to next April for only £109! You can read all about his share here. Meanwhile, enjoy his latest win at Lingfield below!
The best of luck Hugo!
Watch the race video
Look out for Hugo in the blue and yellow colours. Ridden by apprentice Tom Keily-Marshall, he is given a lovely ride and comes into the race really nicely over a furlong out and the win never looks in doubt.
