Boot Legging is one to keep your eye on in the future

Philip Chircop is looking to the future ahead of Wednesday’s Nutrein Equine Haras Des Trotteurs heats for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings at Bendigo.

Boot Legging (Volstead) is set to make his harness racing debut and according to the Bunding trainer the run will be all about experience.

“He will be making up numbers as far as I’m concerned,” Chircop said. “He is a nice horse. He is not quite ready, but he is trotting well.”

Boot Legging is by Volstead out of Fortunate Phoenix, who never graced the racetrack but has left two babies including the highly-performed Ofortuna. She finished seventh in the 2022 Inter Dominion final behind eventual winner Just Believe and has won 11 races in total.

“I think as he gets a bit older, he will get better. There is a lot to like about him, but he is not quite ready,” Chircop said. “They might be too nippy for him at this stage.

“He has to keep improving. He is a lovely type of horse and he has got a good action. It’s really up to him.

“He is by Volsted and he is winning everything. He has a lot going for him, which is a great help.”

The 70-year-old Chircop has been happy with the squaregaiter’s temperament ahead of his first start.

“He’s really good and he is a little bit flighty, but since I have been putting the work into him, he has been very good,” he said. “I am just trying to keep him happy.”

Jodi Quinlan is booked to pilot the squaregaiter in heat two of the series, with Aldebaran Zane likely to start the favourite for trainer Jarrod Alchin.

Heat one is set for 6.03pm, with first starter, the Anton Golino-prepared Enchauffour, to start from the pole.

Qualifiers from the two heats will progress to a $75,000 final at Melton Entertainment Park on April 20.

Wednesday’s card will also feature heats of the Nutrien Equine series for three-year-old trotting fillies, as well as preludes for two-year-old trotting fillies and three-year-old trotting colts and geldings.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Lachlan Mitchell, for Harness Racing Victoria