Will Hulbert not running scared of $1.75 favourite as Thee Creek tests winter carnival ambitions at Eagle Farm on Saturday

The two-year-old colt, named as a nod to Brisbane’s iconic Breakfast Creek Hotel, ran fourth behind Grafterburners in the $500,000 2YO Jewel but was only beaten three lengths and stymied by a bad barrier.

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The maiden galloper steps out at Eagle Farm in a 1300m 2YO Handicap after being scratched from a 1110m event at the rescheduled Friday card at Doomben.

Hulbert feels it isn’t a strong race on Saturday.

Thee Creek is the $4 second pick and Hulbert has no qualms about taking on the Lee Freedman-trained filly Profoundly, who is the $1.75 favourite after winning last start.

From another wide barrier, Hulbert is keen for jockey Mark Du Plessis to find cover and power over the top of them on Thee Creek.

He has one eye on the prize of the JJ Atkins (1600m) during the winter carnival, but wants to see the colt settling well and being strong at the end of 1300m on Saturday.

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“If he drew a decent barrier in the Jewel, he definitely would have run second behind Grafterburners,” Hulbert, who trains with father Peter, said.

“He got pushed off the track and the second and third-placed horses came up the inside of the track and beat him.

“He has drawn badly again on Saturday, but I don’t think there’s too many good horses in this race.

“All he has ever done at trackwork is sit off horses, because he brains everything that he has ever worked with.

“It would be nice to find some cover Saturday, let him hit the line, and that will tick a few boxes for the winter carnival ahead.

“It would tick the Eagle Farm box, it would tick the racing over more than 1200(m) box and it would get some more money in the bank.”

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Hulbert insists there is no way he is running scared of Profoundly.

He points out Thee Creek finished second behind Pretty Dubious on debut, off the back of just a single trial.

Profoundly finished fifth on debut behind Pretty Dubious, before then coming out and breaking her maiden status at her next start.

Regardless, Hulbert wants Thee Creek to come out and show he has winter carnival potential.

“Obviously, we want to head to the JJ Atkins,” he said.

“On all the data we have from trackwork, it says he will run a mile.

“We have just got to teach him to settle.

“I was just talking to Mark (Du Plessis) and he says he is much happier going to the 1300(m) on Saturday with this horse than he would have been going to the 1110m on Friday.

“It has also meant we have been able to get another gallop into the colt.”

Originally published as Will Hulbert not running scared of $1.75 favourite as Thee Creek tests winter carnival ambitions at Eagle Farm on Saturday