Majestuoso on the comeback trail

Dual Group 1 winner Majestuoso is on the comeback trail, ready to start pushing his case as the new top seed of the Long Forest squaregaiting harness racing squad.

Trainer Andy Gath gave the five-year-old “six or seven” weeks off after an injury-plagued end to his most recent campaign, which saw him scratched from February 5’s What The Hill Great Southern Star due to a foot issue.

He returned a week later for a third placing in the Aldebaran Park The Knight Pistol behind Tough Monarch before heading to the paddock.

Gath said the son of Majestic Son was now back fast working and edging towards a return to the track.

“He has come back good,” Gath said.

“We’ve sort of looked after him. He’s only a little fella, as a three-year-old we only raced him against his own age group, as a four-year-old we didn’t give him many starts.

“Time-wise he can run what has to be run. I think he will be a little bit stronger this time in.

“He’s been a little kid for a long time, but he’s starting to finally grow up.”

Gath said it had been hoped for a while now that Majestuoso – already a winner of 16 races – would elevate himself to the leading trotter in the stable with the likes of Tornado Valley and McLovin in the twilight of their careers.

“He’s got youth on his side, which Tornado and McLovin don’t have,” Gath said.

“It’s probably no secret that for the last 18 months or two years I’ve been spruiking that he’d be the replacement going forward…

“We think he’s going to be at a high level for a long time, hopefully.”

There was plenty of hype surrounding Tornado Valley’s bid to become the ninth Australasian-bred squaregaiter to reach the $1 million prizemoney barrier, but he was spelled just shy of the mark following a third placing in May.

“He’ll definitely come back,” Gath said.

“We will probably target some of those short races like the Bill Collins and the Bendigo Mile, but if we are not happy with him, we will pull the pin. But there’s no reason to think he won’t come back.”

Gath said the pursuit of the seven-figure prizemoney mark was “irrelevant”.

“If it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen,” he said.

“It would be nice to end on our terms and on a high if possible.”

Meanwhile, Group 1-winning three-year-old Pacifico Dream has also been sent for a spell following his second placing in the Australian Pacing Gold 4YO Entires and Geldings Final behind Expensive Ego.

Gath said the 2020 Vicbred Super Series winner would likely be back racing during September or October.

By Tim O’Connor for HRV