Peter Gleeson searching for NSW Derby success

It is Miracle Mile week, but it is also one of the biggest weeks in owner-breeder Peter Gleeson’s 55 years in the harness racing game.

The Maryborough-based Gleeson currently has 59 on his books, including 21 with Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin.

Two of those, Always Hot and Go Miki, will tackle the Group 1 NSW Derby – a delicious side dish to the Miracle Mile – at Menangle on Saturday night.

Gleeson isn’t the only one who thinks the unbeaten Always Hot, who made it seven wins from as many starts at Melton last Saturday night, is potentially the best horse he’s bred and/or raced.

And that’s saying something when his list of stars is headed by the likes of Safe And Sound, Ride High and his currently untapped four-year-old mare Very Pretty. That’s to name just a few.

Always Hot is one of a staggering six finalists Stewart and Tonkin have in the NSW Derby and he is a pre-draw $1.80 favourite.

“There’s just something about him, has been since day one,” Gleeson said.

“You get excited when Clayton (Tonkin) rings you before his first race at Shepparton and then again after it to chat about the win. That’s very rare with all the stars they have.

“Not long after that win, when I was down at their stables checking out the horses, we got to Always Hot’s stall and Clayton said: ‘you know Peter, I never thought we’d get another one as good as Ride High, but I think that’s him’.”

Gleeson, who said he has bred “at least 15 individual Group 1 winners”, also has the lightly raced Go Miki in the Derby final.

But it’s Always Hot he and everyone else is most excited about.

Gleeson, renowned for his steady and conservative approach with young horses, thinks so much of Always Hot he wants to tackle the world’s richest harness race, the $2.1mil TAB Eureka in September, with the three-year-old.

“Yes, I’ve told Emma and Clayton they can head that way if they want to,” he said. “Bay Of Biscay ran second as a three-year-old last year and it hasn’t done him any harm.

“The preferential draws for the three-year-olds is a huge advantage and this is a big, strong three-year-old, too.”

Gleeson is dreaming of having multiple TAB Eureka runners.

Very Pretty, who was sidelined with some health issues late last year, is progressing well towards a racetrack return.

“I’m going down to see Emma and Clayton this week and I’ll be asking if we can go towards the Ladyship Mile at Menangle in May. She’ll need a couple of runs before it, obviously,” Gleeson said.

Stewart has referred to Very Pretty, who boasts nine wins and a second from just 10 starts, as having “Ladies In Red-type” ability.

“I’ve also got Best Deal, who won a trial the other day and is very smart, and Go Miki, so I’ve got a good hand going towards this Eureka. Emma and Clayton could end up with almost half the field with the talent they’ve got,” Gleeson said.

Gleeson has already had a taste of the TAB Eureka when Ride High’s half-brother, High Above, ran third to subsequent Inter Dominion Don Hugo in last year’s race.

“He went great and hasn’t raced since, but he’s back in work and they seem in no rush. Hopefully he has a big back half of the year,” he said.

Back to Ride High, and Gleeson has naturally supported him at stud and early reports are promising.

“I’ve got nine two-year-olds with Emma and Clayton, two of them are Ride High’s, and it’s so far so good,” he said.

“It’s changing times when you look at the early impact of (local) stallions like Poster Boy and The Storm Inside. Hopefully, Ride High can make an early splash, too.”

by Adam Hamilton, for Harness Racing Victoria