David Jolly sets Behemoth to bully his way to The Goodwood glory

Trainer David Jolly is hoping Behemoth will bully his way to victory in The Goodwood on Saturday.

Trainer David Jolly with his Goodwood runner Behemoth at his Goolwa property on Friday. Picture: Mark Brake

Goolwa trainer David Jolly is hoping with 12 months on his side, his hulk of a horse Behemoth can intimidate rivals in The Goodwood (1200m) at Morphettville on Saturday.

Behemoth is a tall, menacing four-year-old gelding who uses his height and bulk to bully people and other horses that get in his space.

“He’s not a straightforward horse. With a horse like him you’ve got to have your guard up a bit. He knows his size and he uses it a bit to his advantage,” Jolly said.

“You’re pretty right as long as you stay one step ahead of him. He waits for a moment and if there is a chink in your armour he’ll find it.”

Second in the $400,000 sprint last year as a three-year-old behind Despatch after missing the start and being held-up coming into the home straight, Behemoth returns to the scene with maturity and having started once this campaign, chasing home evergreen mudlark Jungle Edge in the DC McKay Stakes (1100m) two weeks ago at Morphettville.

While he goes into South Australia’s premier sprint — which features Takeover Target and Black Caviar on the honour roll in the past decade — primed to win the contest, there is a sense that Behemoth is coming up perfectly for a third-up run at 1400m.

Jolly had programmed a Brisbane campaign for Behemoth after The Goodwood aimed at the Stradbroke Handicap, but COVID-19 has led to a rethink.

“The only thing I could say is he has still got a bit to come. He has done enough but he isn’t totally screwed down because we were hoping to go to Queensland,” Jolly said.

“He’s had a faultless preparation. I was very happy with his work on Tuesday. He’s in very good order and has a lovely (barrier) draw.”

Behemoth will be freshened after The Goodwood and focus on the early spring options in Melbourne instead, by which time borders between states may be relaxed and staff that know and can handle the galloper can travel with him.

Trekking is one of the few horses that has been backed to beat the favourite Gytrash since the final field was released on Tuesday. Trekking was an eye-catching jumpout winner at Flemington last week before travelling to Adelaide.

Sunlight remains prominent in the market despite a rank failure last start, running last in the Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m).

Trainers Tony and Calvin McEvoy, knowing there was nothing physically amiss, took the step of sending the mare away from their SA operation to their Melbourne stable to change things up in a bid to recapture her form.