Landmark in sight for ageless Hartnell

He’s the best-performed horse in Godolphin’s Australian team and at the age of eight he’s as keen as ever to confirm that status.

Hartnell does battle on Saturday in the G2 Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes at Moonee Valley, a race in which victory would take his racetrack earnings to almost A$5 million.

And according to his trainer James Cummings, he’s ready to improve on his first-up second placing in the G2 PB Lawrence Stakes at Caulfield on 18 August.

“He’s as bright as a button and capable of running well again,” Cummings said.

Hartnell has won three G1 races among his seven Australian wins and has been placed in two of this country’s biggest races, the WS Cox Plate and the Melbourne Cup.

Before transferring from the stables of Mark Johnston in England, he had won five races, including the G3 Bahrain Stakes at Newmarket and the Listed Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot in 2014.

Hartnell made an instant impression in Australia, finishing second first time out and then winning a G2 race before success in the G1 BMW at his third local start.

Since then he has taken on the world-champion mare Winx seven times, finishing second to her three times, including in the G1 Cox Plate at Moonee Valley in 2016.

At the same track on Saturday he steps out to 1,600m, after an encouraging second when resuming at 1,400m in the Lawrence.

“He flashed up nicely for second place along the inside in the Lawrence, and finds himself at a mile second-up,” Cummings said.

“The horse enjoys having his races spaced and should give himself every chance at weight-for-age around the Valley.”

Hartnell’s opposition includes the New Zealand mare Bonneval, the former Irish-trained Homesman who won this race last year, and the former Irish-trained Homesman.