South Australian trainer Nicole Bruggemann: ‘Highly Decorated is already a hero regardless of where he finishes in 2021 Darwin Cup’

It is only by chance South Australian trainer Nicole Bruggemann happens to be in the Territory capital for the 2021 Darwin Cup. But with a perfect six-from-six winning record in the Top End, her gelding is right in the mix.

Soutrh Australian trainer Nicole Bruggemann’s daughter Maddi Viney with five-year-old Highly Decorated before the 2021 Darwin Cup. Picture: Glenn Campbell

IT is only by chance South Australian trainer Nicole Bruggemann happens to be in Darwin for the 2021 Cup Carnival.

And only back in April she would have laughed at you if you suggested her five-year-old Highly Decorated would be in with a legitimate chance in Monday’s Great Northern Darwin Cup (2050m).

But with a perfect six-from-six winning record in the Top End, her gelding is right in the mix.

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Bruggemann still shakes her head and smiles at how things have panned out for her over the past few months.

“I was in Alice Springs and the track was not how I would’ve liked it, so I was happy to come up here,” she said.

“(Darwin jockey) Vanessa Arnott said ‘why don’t you come up to Darwin?’

“And we were more than happy to continue our road trip.

“I’m getting my Northern Territory trainer’s licence organised and I’ve got a house at Millner.

“I’d just be at home sooking in the cold if I stayed down south – I’m loving it here in Darwin and I want to stay here.”

And Highly Decorated could be the newly-discovered stayer which could lead to Bruggemann and connections being the toast of Darwin on Monday.

“He’s really improved and gone to the next level,” Bruggemann said.

“We were really impressed with him after he got a nice third on the Broken Hill dirt (on March 13), and then we thought ‘why don’t we give him a go at Alice?’

“Vanessa is why I came to Darwin.

“Then we came up early, and we’ve seen him get better and better. Monday will be a bit of an unknown for us because he’s never raced 2000m before – the furthest he’s ran has been a mile.

“He seems to like the Darwin track and he handles the corner well.”

South Australian trainer Nicole Bruggemann is hoping to oversee her five-year-old Highly Decorated’s seventh-straight win in the 2021 Great Northern Darwin Cup. Picture: Caroline Camilleri

Will it be a fairytale seventh win in a row in the race that stops the Territory on Monday?

“Whatever happens, we feel as though he’s already done enough,” Bruggemann said.

“And we’d love to see him race in the Carnival next year.

“He’s only five so he’s still young. We’ll have to send him south after Monday because of his rating, so maybe we’ll look at a Balaclava Cup for him, or a country cup in Victoria like the Donald Cup or Warracknabeal Cup.

“We won’t over-race him.”

Bruggemann was also delighted with Thursday’s barrier draw, Highly Decorated drawing the coveted No.1 lane.

“(We) couldn’t have asked for a better barrier,” she said.

“It’s all up from here, no matter the result of the race.

“He’s got the perfect gate.

“He can dictate the race with speed and it’s all down to him now.

“Gate one is the fairytale for us. Everyone is happy.”