Mentality bound for the nation’s capital

Multiple Group I winning galloper Mentality will kick his autumn campaign off on Sunday in the $100,000 Listed National Sprint at Canberra.

The tough seven-year-old gelding, a veteran of 50 starts, will appreciate the wide open spaces of the Thoroughbred Park track according to his co-trainer Michael Hawkes.

“The horse has done most of his best racing at Randwick and the Canberra track isn’t too dissimilar,” he said.

Hawkes said Mentality is well-within himself, as he showed with a solid second in a recent Rosehill barrier trial in preparation for the horse’s autumn program.

Mentality was due to kick off his campaign last Saturday in the Group III Liverpool City Cup, but a recent trend of bad barriers with the horse continued when he drew barrier 16 of 17, forcing the stable to wait another eight days.

“A barrier and a dry surface is all I want,” Hawkes said..

“His trial was good and it looks a lovely race for him to kick things off.

“His last start was in the Villiers and we’ve kept him ticking over since then so he should be competitive if he gets a decent barrier and a dry track.”

Josh Adams rode Mentality at his last start when he finished a gallant second, starting from the outside gate of 17 in the Villiers behind Dances On Waves and he will be on-board him again on Sunday.

Story: Clinton Payne RaceNet