Blinkers to have The Grey focused on return to winner’s circle

An important gear change can propel a popular home track three-year-old into his second career win at Thursday’s Hawkesbury meeting.

The Grey, a progressive son of prolific Deep Field in the Brad Widdup stable, hasn’t quite lived up to early promise for connections, with only a lone win from eight starts since debuting more than a year ago.

But a reignition looks primed in a Provincial Benchmark 64 Hcp over 1100m where The Grey is one of a trio of three-year-olds taking on the older horses.

After a somewhat disappointing second-up effort when he ran home only fairly into a place against similar opposition, the stable has immediately put the blinkers back on.

That day he was backed from $3.50 into $3.10, yet after working through traffic from midfield, he didn’t put his mind on the job late.

So blinkers were again sought to help sharpen him up over the full trip, and so too will a drying track, expected to be officially rated Good.

And significantly, Josh Parr who rode The Grey to his only win so far – a dominant maiden success at this track last November – returns to the saddle.

A blending colour of grey and chestnut, The Grey will likely head to a midweek metropolitan race if he salutes at home.

He opened around $2.90 in early betting ahead of five-year-old mare and fellow local Everyone’s A Star at $4.70.