3 minute read

Kiwi trainer Adrian Bull says Nashville may need the experience in his first right-handed test in the Group Three Rough Habit Plate at Doomben.

Racing is rich in the bloodlines of visiting New Zealand trainer Adrian Bull who is back on mission number two for the Brisbane winter carnival.

Bull made his first trip to Brisbane last winter with So Devine who failed to make it to the Group One Queensland Oaks at Eagle Farm.

The 50-year-old trainer is in Brisbane again with his sights on next month's Group One Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm with Nashville.

Nashville will make his Australian debut in the Group Three Rough Habit Plate (2000m) at Doomben on Saturday and his task has been made easier following the scratching of fellow New Zealander, Malandrino.

The Murray Baker-trained Malandrino has been sold and will do his future racing in Hong Kong.

"We have a saying in New Zealand you never go broke selling them," Baker said.

"I think he can can be a superstar in Hong Kong.

"He's by Darci Brahma and they are winning everything back home."

Nashville is also a son of Darci Brahma but Bull has raised concerns about him handling the right-handed direction for the first time.

"He's got a lot of ability but he's a slow learner and I'm a bit worried about him handling the right-handed direction the first time," Bull said.

"It's also the first time he's gone to 2000 metres and I'm a bit worried he might need the experience."

Bull, who has been training for 10 years, is the nephew of Margaret Bull, a successful trainer in the 1970s and 1980s.

She became the first female trainer to win an Epsom Handicap at Randwick with Magnitude in 1985 and trained Lacka Reason who was runner-up in the Group One Underwood Stakes at Caulfield before winning the Group Two Turnbull Stakes at Flemington the same year.

Bull has 12 horses in work and hopes to maintain the family tradition in major races with his team.

Nashville, who was bought by Bull for $NZ40,000 at the Karaka ready-to-run sales, has won three of his six starts and has been ridden on every occasion by his Rough Habit Plate jockey Kelly Myers, including his last start win over 1600 metres at Awapuni on April 13.

After winning twice in his first campaign last year, Nashville produced one of his best performances when runner-up to Ocean Park in the Group Three Wellington Stakes (1600m) at Trentham in January.

Ocean Park subsequently campaigned in Sydney during the autumn finishing second to Laser Hawk in the Rosehill Guineas.