New Zealand trainer John Bary is confident The Hombre can end a year-long absence from the winners' list in the Ipswich Cup on Saturday.The Hombre's last win came during last year's Brisbane winter carnival when Bary crossed the Tasman on a Queensland Derby campaign, but he's warned of a sharp improvement in Saturday's 2150-metre Listed feature.The gelding struggled when beating just one runner home last start when 20 lengths from the winner Shuffle The Cash in the Group Three Premier's Cup (220
New Zealand trainer John Bary is confident The Hombre can end a year-long absence from the winners' list in the Ipswich Cup on Saturday.
The Hombre's last win came during last year's Brisbane winter carnival when Bary crossed the Tasman on a Queensland Derby campaign, but he's warned of a sharp improvement in Saturday's 2150-metre Listed feature.
The gelding struggled when beating just one runner home last start when 20 lengths from the winner Shuffle The Cash in the Group Three Premier's Cup (2200m) at Doomben on May 28.
The son of Lucky Owners made an instant impression at his first Australian start, winning the Group Three Rough Habit Plate (2020m) at Doomben in May last year before finishing second to Kutchinsky in the Group Three Grand Prix Stakes (2200m) at Doomben two weeks later.
His Queensland Derby mission ended in disarray when he finished ninth to the Bart Cummings-trained Dariana.
The Hombre returned to his homeland and failed in two starts before Bary sent him to Melbourne for the spring when he didn't measure up in three starts on the provincial circuit.
After a long campaign The Hombre was sent to the paddock for a summer break and came back with three placings from as many starts in New Zealand which encouraged Bary to have another crack at the winter in Brisbane this year.
Bary is a great believer in horses producing their best result when they start for a first time away from home and earmarked the Group One Doomben Cup as The Hombre's first-up winter target.
However, after racing forward in the early stages The Hombre weakened to finish seventh to Scenic Shot.
Bary is unsure why The Hombre's form has been down on his three-year-old year but is confident he can turn things around in the Ipswich Cup.
"He's one of those horses whose gone missing in his four-year-old year," Bary said.
"It's been a while between drinks with him but I'm quietly confident in the Ipswich Cup."
Bary believes The Hombre had several reasons for his Premier's Cup defeat last start.
"He was travelling beautifully and was full of running when the field came back on top of him," he said.
"His rider (Jim Byrne) almost came off at one stage and then he got spat out the back.
"Jimmy just protected the horse after that."
The rough-house Premier's Cup left its mark on The Hombre who suffered from muscle soreness for several days after the feature.
"He was a bit muscle sore after his last run but we've been massaging him and he's getting better and better every day," Bary said.
"He galloped well on Tuesday and I'm happy with his fitness and I'm giving him a great chance."