Emotional trainer John Leek Jr lauds Showmanship’s return, eyes Ballarat Cup with Regal Power
John Leek Jr was struggling to contain his emotions after the return performance of one of his gallopers as he turns his focus to Saturday’s Ballarat Cup.
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John Leek Jr is the antithesis of a softie but Showmanship almost reduced the Pakenham trainer and hard man to tears after running fourth at Caulfield last Saturday.
Showmanship had not raced for 14 months but the rickety eight-year-old made up the best part of 10 lengths inside 300m on straightening to get within half a length of the winner.
Leek Jr, who has Regal Power in Saturday’s Listed Ballarat Cup (2000m), sat alone in the Caulfield trainers’ room well after the last, having spoken to West Australian owner-breeder Bob Peters, with a cold drink to “contain myself”.
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“Not many horses do that (get me emotional),” Leek Jr said.
“You can’t do much with him, you can’t get him fit and you got to be careful what you do with him.
“(We do the) water walker and swimming and hill work, everything without banging him on the ground, we train him without galloping him.”
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Showmanship, a Group 3 winner and first-up flyer, has won eight of 12 starts in a career marred by injury.
“Fourteen and a half months since he raced … what a heart he’s got,” private trainer Leek Jr lauded.
“It’s a massive heart and he’s come back and almost won. I can’t believe it.
“It’s probably one of the best runs I’ve had out of a horse, I can’t remember a horse to do that.”
Leek Jr went into the race without expectations given how long Showmanship had been off the scene.
“I said to (jockey) Jamie (Mott) – it’s something I’ve not said before – I’ve got no idea about how he’s going to go,” he said.
“I said go quiet early, get out wide and get home, see what happens.”
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Leek Jr said West Australian owner-breeder Bob Peters would make a plan for Showmanship.
“If we get a wet track somewhere he could win a serious race over a mile, I don’t think he’s ever been tested at the mile, but I’d be going there,” Leek Jr said.
“It may be we poke along with him and wait for a wet track.”
Regal Power has been aimed at the Ballarat Cup since he finished fourth in the Group 3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) last start at Flemington.
The eight-year-old multiple Group 1 and All-Star Mile winner, a $4.6 million prizemoney earner, was runner-up in Listed company at Mornington four starts back.
“Where he’s at he’s at,” Leek Jr said.
“He’s an older horse too, they’ve done the miles, we’ll try and snag one somewhere.”
A crowd of more than 5000 is expected on Saturday at Ballarat.
Originally published as Emotional trainer John Leek Jr lauds Showmanship’s return, eyes Ballarat Cup with Regal Power
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