Trainer Jemma Hayman admits she can’t wait to take over training duties of recent Navy Cup (2130m) winner Captain Ravishing.
Captain Ravishing’s previous trainer Freddy Taiba was considering taking the pacer back for next week’s Inter Dominion series in the absence of Leap To Fame and Swayzee, but decided to leave him at Hayman’s Oakford stable.
Hayman said Taiba and connections made the decision earlier this week to officially transfer Captain Ravishing to her care.
“The stable return is in,” Hayman told Racing WA Harness.
“To get any horse of his calibre is really special.
“Ross (Olivieri) has had a really good association with Fred and his family and trained a lot of horses for them over the last 20 to 30 years.
“I think that was a big thumbs up for them in making the decision.
“The horse has settled in well and it’s like he’s always been here.”
Following his Navy Cup success, Captain Ravishing finished a game fourth to Minstrel in the TABtouch-WA Pacing Cup.
On that occasion, reinsman Aiden De Campo was the first to make the move into the three-wide line and raced without cover on the final lap.
Hayman said despite being beaten almost 14m, Captain Ravishing’s effort was full of merit.
“He’s known for his high speed and not so much his toughness,” she said.
“The way he had to be driven that night was more demanding on his toughness and not his speed.
“I thought he ran as good a race as one could expect in those circumstances.”
The five-year-old is set to have one more start in next Friday’s Members Sprint (1730m), before a break over December.
Hayman said she hoped to have Captain Ravishing primed for the Pinjarra and Bunbury Cups in March, before a tilt at getting a slot in The Nullarbor on ANZAC Day.
“He will probably get three weeks off after next week, then target the good races in March and April,” she said.
“We’ve had some chats with some Nullarbor slot holders in the background and said they’d be interested.
“There’s no shortage of races for him at that time of the year.”
Captain Ravishing is a $15 chance with TABtouch for next year’s Nullarbor.
