Bush Whacked doesn’t have the wheels of Stephen’s Harley - but he knows how to brake

Trainer Stephen Marsh has reached deep into his bag of tricks to try to invigorate Bush Whacked - but he says he won’t know until Wednesday whether it’s worked.

“We’ve done a lot of work with him but he hasn’t really done anything to tell us he’s turned the corner,’’ says Marsh who is enjoying a purple patch of form and even scored a Harley Davidson motorbike for winning a race at Ellerslie yesterday.

But Bush Whacked will test Marsh’s luck when he goes round in the fifth race at Matamata on Wednesday with two duck eggs beside his name.

Marsh had been hoping the addition of blinkers at Avondale last month would see the horse improve on his lacklustre debut and, when he pinged the lids and raced outside the leader to the turn, he started getting his hopes up.

“I thought here we go, he’s running a real race and I thought he might even win.

“But as soon as he turned the corner he put up the white flag and retreated.’’

Marsh has tried acupuncture on Bush Whacked.Since then Marsh has put the horse through a course of acupuncture treatments, he’s been swimming him and jumping him over two foot pony hurdles along with doing figure eights round the centre of the ring.

“In the afternoons we’ve trotted him over poles a foot high to get him using his back muscles.

“We’ve basically been doing everything we could think of to keep him interested.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if he won on Wednesday but then it wouldn’t surprise me if he ran last either. He’s a limited horse who’s not going to change my address.’’

Marsh says while you never want to condemn a horse too quickly, Bush Whacked doesn’t seem to have a real will to win.

“I don’t think he particularly enjoys the game - he doesn’t really want to do it and seems to like getting out of it - but we’re giving him our best shot.

“He’s an OK bodied horse, we’ve got plenty worse than him here, but you wouldn’t say he’s a lovely horse.

“Well probably give him a couple more chances. But there’s no point bringing him back for another preparation if he’s going to win only one race.

“The owners don’t want a one-win horse even though, apart from me, the others have got plenty of money. But I do own a Harley Davidson now which I’m supposed to be getting tomorrow.’’

The White Queen is cruising six lengths clear of her rivals at the Matamata trials.Curtsy to The White Queen

While Marsh won’t tip us into Bush Whacked he does line up one for leading owner Sir Peter Vela which he says can win the second race.

The White Queen, a recent six length trial winner at Matamata, hasn’t paid a dividend in four starts but Marsh reckons she’s good to go now.

“Raceday has been a disaster with her. But I reckon she found out her father’s name was Cape Blanco so this preparation we’ve been telling her she’s by Savabeel and she’s had a different mindset and looks switched on.

“She can really gallop.’’

The White Queen is a grand daughter of Grand Echezeaux who won $663,000 in only 10 starts for Sir Peter, retired in 2000 after winning the Australasian Oaks at Morphettville.

The White Queen will be ridden by Sam Collett, who was aboard the five-year-old when she strolled home - under a hold - in the 1000 metre trial on November 29, run on slow 9 footing.