Kembla preview: Trainer Mitchell Beer has designs on city racing for with a pair of promising geldings

Progressive gelding Apollo Mission takes the next steps towards a shot at the $500,000 Four Pillars as he looks to make it back-to-back wins on his home track.

Local trainer Mitch Beer has high hopes that a couple of his team can not only win on their home track this weekend, but soon progress to city company.

Beer has the $500,000 Four Pillars at Rosehill on November 2 in mind for lightly-raced five-year-old Apollo Mission.

A good training effort by Beer saw the gelding kick off his campaign with a smart win from C’Mon Mate and Zaragoza on August 10 without an official barrier trial.

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“He’s pretty talented this horse,” Beer said.

“He has been a surprise packet. He didn’t come up from Albury with too lofty ambitions after being beaten at Narrandera three times but he has just continued to improve.

“I toyed with the idea of going to the Midway at Randwick next week but I want to try and get his rating up a little bit and head towards the Four Pillars with him.

“He’s currently rated a 65 but a win this weekend should get his rating up enough to get a start in the Four Pillars. That’s the long-range plan.”

The son of Star Turn returns to his home track for the Benchmark 68 Handicap (1400m).

“He loves Kembla. He has had three starts for two wins and a second here and the 1400m is ideal distance for him.

“Rory Hutchings sticks with him and the gate isn’t too bad at all. He likes to get in behind the speed and finish over the top.”

Apollo Mission can make it back-to-back wins when he steps out at Kembla on Saturday. Picture: Bradley Photos

The other horse Beer feels will make it to city company is Artful Persuasion.

Following an impressive debut win in a Sapphire Coast maiden in February by nearly three lengths, Beer sent the gelding straight to a Midway at Randwick in March.

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He then dropped back to a Class 1 at Gosford where he didn’t have a lot of luck but his trainer felt he made a mistake running him.

“He won his maiden on debut then I ran him in a Midway straight away. That’s the sort of level I think he is up to,” he said.

“His run after that was my fault. He should have gone to the paddock.”

The son of Flying Artie resumes in the Class 1 Handicap (1200m) and showed he is ready for a big performance with a 2½-length trial win at Nowra on August 12.

“He is probably the pick of the day of my team to be honest. He is a horse I’ve got a lot of time for,” Beer said.

“He’s a pretty talented horse and I would like to think he could progress to metropolitan grade.

“I’d like to get him to another Midway or to Canterbury on a Friday night.

“We have to get his rating up first and a win this weekend would certainly help that.

“His trial was very good at Nowra and I expect him to be extremely hard to beat.”

In the same race, Suspect resumes from a spell after finishing last in the Listed South Pacific at Randwick in April.

While Beer expects the gelding to run well, he feels he will be better suited over further.

“I was disappointed with his last run. I think he is better than a Class 1 horse,” he said.

“He will be better suited when he gets to 1400m and probably even a mile this time in.”

Beer rates This Is The Moment an each-way chance in the Class 1 Handicap (1400m) following a first-up fifth behind Northern Eyes at Hawkesbury.

“I think he is a good each-way chance. It’s a strong little Class 1 but he has a good second-up record and is a winner at Kembla.”

Originally published as Kembla preview: Trainer Mitchell Beer has designs on city racing for with a pair of promising geldings