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By Ray Hickson

If it didn’t come from a reputable source, trainer Adam Duggan would never have believed All Hunky Dory was cast out of Hong Kong basically for not trying.

Trainer Adam Duggan (Pic: Bradley Photos).

In 10 starts in Hong Kong the gelding managed one second placing and finished closer to last than first in most of them.

It’s been a different story since Duggan plucked him out of a spelling paddock last year as he’s recorded three wins and three placings from six starts and earned a shot at the Tooheys Handicap (2100m).

Duggan admits it took a while to convince himself to give All Hunky Dory a go, especially after one of the owners explained how the horse was viewed in Hong Kong, and he couldn’t be happier that he did.

“The more I did with him the more I started to like him, probably closer to the trial stage to be honest,’’ Duggan said.

“The couple of trainers that had him said he was a non-trier. He’s completely the opposite now, the one thing he does do is tries really hard.

“The few years he’s had off has probably allowed him to really mature and I’ve probably ended up with the best version of him.”

All Hunky Dory, $8 with TAB on Friday, is an eight-year-old and finally made his debut for Duggan at Tamworth in December, his first start for three years, and ran second Magic Stalker, who is unbeaten, in a 1400m maiden.

He then won three on end at Taree and Port Macquarie around a mile before the Gosford trainer stepped him up in distance and up to provincial level.

Duggan said you can make a case he should have won both his starts at Wyong but is proud of what the horse has been able to achieve considering his former reputation.

“He just kept improving after everything and I love horses that do that,’’ he said.

“I was pretty keen on him first-up and he ran into a smart one of Annabel’s that’s won three from three.

“We placed him really well, gave him his chance and he got through those country races pretty easily. You could argue he should have won both times at Wyong.”

The Irish bred gelding was accepted for the Gosford Cup but Duggan is content to keep the bar as low as possible for now while still regarding the Benchmark 78 as a serious test.

He’ll drop 5kg on his last start second to Junebug, who is also among his rivals on Saturday, over 2130m and Duggan was rapt to secure Tyler Schiller to ride.

“I reckon you could go through every runner I’ve had and I’ve never thrown a horse in the deep end like this,’’ he said.

“But he’s in on his true weight, he’s a 65 (rater) getting in on his true weight and that was the inviting thing for me.

“And as important as anything he’s running on his home track.”

What Duggan expects is that All Hunky Dory will give 100 per cent and will put himself in a position to be competitive and the rest is up to the horse.

All Hunky Dory runs second at Wyong on April 17

“He’s an on pace runner, Gosford does appear to be a bit on pace since the new part of the track has gone in but that might change a bit with better horses and more pressure,’’ he said.

“He’s in the race with a good chance.

“He’s a horse that’s in form that does try hard and I don’t know if there’s as many of those in this race so we’ll see how it works out.”

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