Cliff Brown and his team have worked hard to get Von Hauke to be a relaxed and manageable racehorse.
In his early years, Von Hauke would want to get his races over and done with early, but with maturity and work the gelding has become more tractable.
But it almost all came undone in a recent Mornington jump-out when Von Hauke was up to his old antics of wanting to rip and tear.
Brown was disappointed to see Von Hauke back to his old tricks, although the Mornington based trainer was heartened by the gelding’s last piece of work.
“Briar Stobie rode him in his last bit of work, and he was a bit keen early, but then he came back under her really well,” Brown said.
“She said to me, ‘I’m worrying about nothing’, which was good to hear.
“She knows him back-to-front.”
After a closing seventh in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on September 19, Von Hauke heads back to Caulfield on Saturday for the Toorak Handicap (1600m).
Two starts ago, Von Hauke was placed in the Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm and Brown believes the gelding is capable of winning a big handicap one day.
But Saturday’s draw of 11 is a concern.
“The barrier is a bit sticky,” Brown said.
“For him, he’ll get back, and you have to hope they can make ground, but he’s capable of winning one of these races one day.
“He’s done nothing wrong, his first-up run was excellent, as were several in it too.”
Brown will leave Von Hauke in the care of trusted lieutenants Mason Stevens and Kahlia Kaminski on Saturday with Brown in Sydney to saddle Sepals in the Alan Brown Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill.
Sepals was beaten by Angel Capital in the Sir Rupert Clarke at Caulfield first-up when Brown said the gelding’s fitness blew out in the last bit.
“He needed the break after Brisbane, and he would have only had a couple of weeks off if I wanted to run in the Memsie,” Brown said.
“That month off he did so well, but his fitness blew out in the final stages last time.”
Like his stablemate, Sepals has a ‘sticky’ draw on Saturday, but the 1400m run sets him up for either the Champions Mile at Flemington on the final day of Melbourne Cup week or the C F Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield the following week.
“I needed another 1400-metre run, so that’s why I’ve brought him up here,” Brown said.
“Trip up and a trip home, plus the run, that will help him and he might have a jump-out before his next start.”
