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By Ray Hickson

Trainer Jack Pilkington has long thought Alabama State had the potential to be a bit better than simply a ‘city class horse’ but he’s made a point of not getting ahead of himself as he returns at Randwick on Saturday.

Trainer Jack Pilkington (Pic: Bradley Photos).

The five-year-old ended a luckless campaign with a strong Rosehill win back at the end of January and Pilkington immediately sent him out, confident he’d blossom on the back of a generous spell.

While he says the gelding isn’t at peak fitness for his first-up assignment in the Chandon Handicap (1200m) the groundwork has been laid for him to kick off on a positive note.

“It was relieving more than anything to get the win because we’d waited a long time for it,’’ Pilkington said.

“He deserved it and I always thought after a proper spell he’d be ready to go through the grades a bit more.

“We’ve just got to see it on the track now but the preparation has been right for kicking off and we’ll find out more when we go to the races.”

James McDonald was in the saddle when Alabama State overcame a wide run under 59.5kg to win the Midway in question and he was also on board in the latest trial.

It was on a heavy track and both McDonald and Pilkington were impressed with how well he performed despite the champion jockey saying the horse hated the ground.

His only piece of advice to the Hawkesbury trainer was to ensure he returns on a better surface and McDonald responded by taking the ride once again.

“I’d like to try and place him right as we go, he’s best on top of the ground,’’ Pilkington said.

“He can run well first-up but he’s a big gross horse and takes a bit of getting fit.

“He will look a bit well in condition and wintry going into this run but he has trialled well and it was a heavy track when he trialled well the other day.

“I’d like to let him work through his grades as far as he can and if he wins a couple then next thing you’re on the kind of rating where you’re getting into a big money handicap somewhere.

“He’ll need a couple of wins to be stepping out of regular Saturday benchmark grade and if he’s good enough he’ll get there. If not he’ll be a consistent Saturday horse.”

It’s important, Pilkington said, that McDonald is extremely patient with Alabama State ($8 with TAB on Thursday) considering he’s giving away a bit of fitness to those ahead of him in the market.

And he just hopes the superstar hoop can find a place from a tricky barrier to achieve that.

“I know that his sprint is not 400m first-up,’’ he said.

“Last prep Jason (Collett) had him behind the leaders, had more pace than them and committed at the top of the straight and was found out the last 50m.

“He will need to find a way to cuddle him a little bit longer and he should have the chance to run through the line.

“The main thing will be getting dragged into it as far as possible rather than being exposed too early.”

Pilkington is adamant he has a lightly raced horse ready to break through in the shape of Spud Gun, who will have her second race start at either Kembla Grange on Saturday or Hawkesbury on Tuesday.

The mare was a $101 chance on debut on her home track and while she weakened out of it late the trainer was rapt with her effort.

Alabama State runs fourth in a Randwick trial on July 20

“I think she’s ready to win but I just have to pick the right race,’’ he said.

“I may accept for Hawkesbury as well, the same course and distance as her first-up run where she ran a super race. She just got tired the last bit.

“She was still second at the 50m but just knocked up. It was her debut so we will forgive her that. She’s professional and feeling really well at home.”

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