A brilliant win in the G3 Northam Stakes (1300m) on Sunday has co-trainer Jake Casey excited about the upcoming winter campaign for bay gelding Dom To Shoot.
The five-year-old turned for home in last position, but sprinted powerfully in the straight to grab Comfort Me in the shadows of the post and scored by a neck.
The Northam Stakes delivered Dom To Shoot his first black-type success and boosted prizemoney to nearly $1 million after seven wins and 12 placings from 37 starts.
A winner of the Mornington Guineas (1600m) in 2021, the son of Shooting To Win burst through and posted an overdue stakes victory after four previous placings.
He ran third in the Group 1 Kingston Town Classic (1800m) and G3 WA Guineas (1600m) and finished runner-up in the Sires’ (1400m) and Old Comrade Stakes (1600m).
Jake Casey, who trains in partnership with his father, Sean, said Dom To Shoot will look to extend his winning sequence in the Belmont Sprint (1400m), Hyperion Stakes (1600m) and Strickland Stakes (2000m).
“He’s been a ripper for the stable and the races going forward are only going to suit him getting further,” Casey said on Tabradio.
“We know he can get further ground and the horse is probably going as best as he has ever been-on the track and in his races.
“As a young horse he was doing a few things wrong and getting himself beat, but now he is a real professional.
“I can’t fault him and I’m looking forward to going on with him.”
The Belmont Sprint (1400m) is run on May 13, the Hyperion Stakes (1600m) a fortnight later and the Strickland Stakes (2000m) on June 10.
Meanwhile Casey says the signs are looking positive for promising two year-old, Brave Halo, who is fighting back from a leg injury.
The Brave Smash colt ran two cracking races at Melbourne, highlighted by a gutsy fourth in the G1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Flemington, but his racing career appeared in jeopardy when he was galloped on.
“He’s going good, but time will tell,” Casey said.
“When he can come back to work we’ll take it slow with him.
“We’ll see how it all holds up, but the horse himself is good.
“The vets in Melbourne have been fantastic and are a lot more positive about it now.
“Fingers are crossed and hopefully he can come back because he’s a very smart horse.”