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By Ray Hickson

If talented colt Hidden Motive can end his two-year-old season with back-to-back wins at Randwick on Saturday then trainer Nathan Doyle suspects he’ll find his way into stakes grade in the spring.

Trainer Nathan Doyle (Pic: Trackside).

The youngster has been a work in progress throughout this season, which commenced with a fourth in the Breeders’ Plate, and it wasn’t until his fourth start that he got on the board with a runaway Hawkesbury maiden win.

It was a step back that Doyle felt was necessary to get the “one percenters” right and he’s confident Hidden Motive can take the benefit of the win into the Precise Air Handicap (1100m).

“That’s what we went back there for, it was a Plate race so he got in well and being a colt you like to have that killer instinct in them,’’ Doyle said.

“He showed us last start, even though it was in a maiden, what he’s been showing us at home. He’s a horse with plenty of talent.

“I suppose we get through Saturday but I feel he is going to be a better three-year-old so I wouldn’t hesitate in having a crack at stakes races if he can head down that track.”

Doyle clearly has set a reasonably high bar for Hidden Motive, $2.50 with TAB on Thursday, this preparation given he expressed disappointment that the colt was beaten in his two runs in April.

They were behind Aerodrome, who subsequently won the Clarendon Stakes, and before that behind another exciting youngster in Grand Eagle.

But ultimately those defeats led to Doyle focusing on the colt’s racing manners.

“I know he ran into Aerodrome first-up, he overdid it second-up and wanted to get up on the chewy and not relax in the early stages of the race,” he said.

“I said to Ash (Morgan) don’t squeeze or push him out of the gates, let him land where he wants to be and let him build up under his own steam. He relaxed well and that allowed him to show a turn of foot at the end.

“Even though it was a maiden the way he put them away and the time he ran you’ve got to be pleased with.”

It won’t be a long break for Hidden Motive when he is eased up following Saturday’s race with Doyle suggesting he'll only have a couple of weeks out in the paddock at this time of year.

As for his assignment, he expects to see the complete package in action and to give his rivals something to get past.

“I’m happy to give him one more. He loves his tucker and is a good doer back home,’’ he said.

“He’s a naturally fast horse so he will muster quickly and put himself in the first couple. He’s a proper racehorse, he fires out of the machine and puts himself there.”

Doyle is hoping to get some consistency into Wooloowin’s preparation after a less than ideal build up to her last start at Scone and is forecasting an improved showing in the Asahi Super Dry Handicap (1400m).

The four-year-old finished midfield in the Dark Jewel but Doyle saw merit in the effort and feels she’s probably going better than the form guide reads.

“She’s had a stop start preparation,’’ he said.

“I thought she was good in the Dark Jewel, she was seven weeks between runs at 1400m at stakes grade, she loomed into it and felt the pinch at the furlong.

“While we can we’ll try to string a couple of runs together before we give her a break. Naturally she has come on from Scone, she needed it, and she’s back to 78 grade so I’d be disappointed if she didn’t run well.”

Nathan Doyle on Super Bright: “She’s been consistent enough, she probably just needs everything to go the right way.”

Hidden Motive wins at Hawkesbury on May 15

On Hellfire Express (race 2): “It was his first crack at midway company last start and I thought he went terrific. He carried 4kg more than anything else in the race and wasn’t beaten far on a very testing track. He looks well within himself and I’m sure he has a Midway win in him somewhere.”

On Just Response (Newcastle Saturday race 4): “He desperately needed gelding early days and that’s probably been the making of him. He’s starting to work with us, it’s taken him a bit of time for him to get out of the gates. We’ve had to take him back to the gates a couple of times because he’s come out bucking and having a play. He’s progressively improved each time and he’s doing it on raw ability.”

On Divo (Newcastle Saturday race 4): “You’ve got to be impressed with his two trials. He’s come back better as a gelding as well. He’s a professional, he puts himself on speed. They’re both nice horses and will be very competitive, I’d be disappointed if one of them isn’t winning.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Randwick meeting