Seven-year-old gelding Galifianakis can continue his remarkable form at Eagle Farm

Jack Bruce gelding Galifianakis seems to be getting better with age and is a top chance at Eagle Farm on Saturday after going close to pulling off a massive upset on Caloundra Cup day.

It’s becoming increasingly clear why Deagon trainer Jack Bruce’s foreman calls Galifianakis the “Benjamin Button” of Queensland racing.

The seven-year-old has been in sizzling form since the autumn, winning two and placing in three of his past five races.

Galifianakis will run in a Benchmark 78 over 1600m on Saturday at Eagle Farm as an $8 chance, with apprentice Cobi Vitler able to claim 3kg to reduce the weight to 59kg.

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The Grant Allard-trained gelding Merchant Flyer is the $3.60 favourite in a fairly open race.

Galifianakis is coming off a narrow runner-up finish to the Kelly Schweida-trained Deep Respect in a Benchmark 85 (1400m) at odds of $71 on Caloundra Cup day.

“He is the stable’s most winningest horse,” said Bruce, who has trained the gelding to all his seven wins from 37 races after taking over from Chris Waller in late 2022.

“I presume he’s named after the movie star Zach Galifianakis (from The Hangover films).

“We bought him as a maiden from Sydney. He’s just thriving, despite his age.

“My foreman (Ryan O’Connor) calls him Benjamin Button because he feels younger every week.

“He’s getting better and he’s maturing. He’s stronger and happier than he’s ever been.

“That’s partly me learning how to keep him in the right zone because I’ve trained him for a while now.”

Galifianakis winning a Benchmark 78 at Doomben in April. Picture: Trackside Photography

Bruce said he was confident that Galifianakis would run strongly fresh last start at the Sunshine Coast but “pleasantly surprised” when he almost snatched victory.

“He should’ve won – he drew barrier seven and had to go back to almost last,” the trainer said.

“(Jockey) Ash Morgan said if he’d drawn five instead of seven, he would’ve won the race which would’ve been quite something.”

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Galifianakis started his racing career at Newcastle in February 2022 under Sydney’s premier trainer Waller and while he was consistent, he failed to break his maiden status.

Under Bruce, he went on a tear in February and March in 2023, winning four straight races, at the Gold Coast polytrack and Ipswich, to stamp his claims as a rising talent.

Trainer Jack Bruce is expecting another bold run from Galifianakis at Eagle Farm on Saturday. Picture: Patrick Woods

Galifianakis, who has won just under $335,000 in prizemoney, briefly went up to north Queensland under trainer Tom Button for three races during last year’s winter before being transferred back to Bruce’s stable.

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“Ideally he races well this weekend and it’s another stepping stone for his prep and getting him out in distance eventually,” Bruce said.

“Last prep he enjoyed having more runs in the shorter trips and he actually won at the mile (on March 16 at the Sunshine Coast) and ran really well at 1400m.

“I’m going to keep quite an open mind about how I proceed through this preparation but he ran a super race first-up and he’s in good health and good order.

“That run didn’t knock him around so I expect to go well second-up on Saturday.

“I still think he’ll end up getting out in trip but I’m happy to take it run by run.”

Originally published as Seven-year-old gelding Galifianakis can continue his remarkable form at Eagle Farm