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By Ray Hickson

There’s more than $130,000 worth of reasons for connections of the John O’Shea & Tom Charlton-trained Pimlico to hope the lightly raced colt can put it all together first-up at Canterbury on Wednesday.

Tom Charlton (Pic: Bradley Photos).

Pimlico is one of a number of three-year-olds eligible for a $100,000 Inglis Xtra bonus, plus he’s a BOBS horse, so the Irresistible Pools & Spas Plate (1200m) is not your run of the mill midweek maiden.

Tom Charlton said it’s not going to be an easy race to win but he’s confident the colt does have the potential as he starts his second preparation.

“The penny is still dropping with him,’’ he said.

“He’s not the finished product yet but he’s a talented horse and one that could progress well with racing and experience under his belt.

“It’s going to be a decent race, it’s the start of spring and it’s a $130,000 maiden for some of them.”

At his only start to date Pimlico, $5.50 with TAB on Tuesday, ran third behind subsequent city winner Hidden Motive at Hawkesbury back in mid-May.

Charlton said that experience has clearly been of benefit based on how he’s returned and what he’s shown in his recent barrier trials.

“Over the 1100m that day at Hawkesbury it probably all happened a bit quickly for Pimlico,’’ he said.

“He came a long way in that preparation from quite an inexperienced horse. We’re pleased with how we handled all of that and he’s come back well and a more rounded individual.

“He’s quite a casual customer and as you can see in his trials he’s still learning the caper but has definitely got ability.

“When you watch his last trial, at the top of the straight he was pricking his ears but when he was asked the question he knuckled down well.

“There’s probably a bit more under the bonnet than he might let on.”

Stablemate Pompatus is another three-year-old with one run under his belt and Charlton said after a promising effort at his first outing he can be expected to be competitive in the Agency Real Estate Handicap (1550m).

It was a heavy 10 at Newcastle almost three weeks ago and the gelding overcame some adversity to run into third in a 1400m maiden.

“He’s come along really nicely and we were pleased with his work going into that first-up run,’’ Charlton said.

“We were confident he’d handle rain affected conditions, which he did, and it was quite a messy race.

“He ended up last in a bit of a dash home, you could make a case for him going close if things worked out more favourably.”

The stable also has O’sheamus engaged alongside Pompatus and Charlton said they may wait for another race this week while track conditions, given rain is forecast, will likely decide whether Bartolf takes his place in the Asahi Super Dry Handicap (1250m).

Tom Charlton on The Big Blue (race 1): “He was good first-up with excuses, just got beaten at Scone second-up just doing a couple of things wrong. He ended up having six weeks between runs so his run was full of merit at Newcastle. You can make a case for him, he’s not a bad horse at all and he’s been working nicely at home. If the favourite has any chinks in his armour this horse isn’t without a chance.”

Pimlico wins Rosehill trial on August 28

Meanwhile, Charlton said Linebacker will have his next run in the Group 3 Bill Ritchie Handicap (1400m) on September 20 after he ran seventh in the Tramway last weekend.

“Things didn’t eventuate for him in the run,’’ he said.

“He got trapped a bit wide, he didn’t have the chance to have a breather and just got tired the last furlong. There will be a lot of improvement going forward.”

All the fields, form and replays for Wednesday’s Canterbury meeting