By Craig Kerry
When Warwick Farm trainer Paul Niceforo picked Territory Express out of a bunch of young horses in a paddock to train for a group of loyal owners, he liked the way he moved, but also his smarts.
Ever since then, the 63-year-old has tried everything, without much success, to outwit the talented but relaxed galloper into firing out of the gates.
Zac Lloyd boots home Territory Express to win the Provincial Championship at Randwick last autumn,Credit: Getty Images
The tardy starts have proved costly, especially this preparation as the five-year-old gelding has scorched home, or hit traffic, from well back in three starts to miss out and frustrate followers.
“I’ve had some very good horses. I don’t train many, but he’s the best I’ve had,” said Niceforo, as he prepared Territory Express for Saturday’s $1 million group 3 The Gong (1600m) at Kembla Grange.
“We got to pick him out of a paddock and I really liked him. Just the way he moves. He’s a lovely moving horse, and he’s got brains.
“I could tell that in the paddock, the way he dodged the dam. All the other horses in the paddock charged through the dam, but he was smart enough to dodge it.”
‘He’s the best I’ve had’: Territory Express’s trainer Paul Niceforo.Credit: Getty Images
That careful approach, though, has not helped him at the barriers.
“Unfortunately, he’s his own worst enemy. He misses the start most times, and it puts him on the back foot straight away. It makes it hard for the riders,” Niceforo said.
“We’ve tried everything, but he’s just so relaxed. He just stands still in the gates until he’s ready to go himself.”
Territory Express, which has won four times and had six placings across 19 starts, was sixth first-up in the $1.5 million Alan Brown Stakes (1400m) this time in, then a nose second in the $1 million Five Diamonds Prelude (1500m).
Last start in the $2 million Five Diamonds (1800m), it was a tough watch as Territory Express and jockey Zac Lloyd hit nothing but trouble until it was too late.
The frustrating fifth has led Niceforo back to Kembla Grange, where he trained for many years and where Territory Express won his Provincial Midway Championship heat in February.
He went on to the win the $1 million final at Randwick, a career highlight for Niceforo, who hopes history repeats with another “Plan B” target on Saturday. Jason Collett takes the ride from the suspended Lloyd.
“The Five Diamonds was supposed to be his grand final this prep, but obviously because we never saw daylight, I just decided to have a crack at The Gong before he goes for a spell,” he said.
“Once we got beat in the Five Diamonds, this is really an afterthought, a bit like when we won the Midway final.
“That was an afterthought because I really wanted to get into the Doncaster, and we failed by a short half head [when second in the Ajax Stakes]. Plan B was the Midway final. Plan B this time is The Gong, so hopefully things work out the same. It would be a fantastic consolation.”
Niceforo hoped for a middle to wide draw, to help avoid traffic, and got gate seven for the $6 Sportsbet chance.
“The idea this time, with the bigger track at the Gong, is get to the outside. That’s the plan,” he said. “The horse is absolutely flying. He’s just had no luck this prep, but that’s racing. You’ve got to take the good with the bad.”
The bad for Niceforo has been two heart attacks and a stroke in the past 13 months. Niceforo, though, was focused on the good, and was grateful to have Territory Express as a tonic.
“I’m alive, and I’m lucky to get a second chance,” he said. “A lot of people don’t get that. “It’s hard to keep a good man down, and he helps. He helps get me up in the mornings.
“Most of my life I’ve been involved in horses, but only small. I’ve never wanted a big team. I’m just happy to have two or three horses in work, and I love the personal attention because I handle them myself.
“I just took him out for a walk and a pick, and he loves that, that’s what I enjoy. Being hands on.”
