Albury sprinter Helideck will wear blinkers for the first time when he attempts to defend his Listed Prime Minister's Cup crown at the Gold Coast on Saturday.Helideck arrived in Queensland last week and wore blinkers when he easily beat former Sydney sprinter German Chocolate in an 1100-metre barrier trial at the Gold Coast last week.Trainer Brett Cavanough is hoping the gear change will help the five-year-old rediscover the form he displayed in Brisbane last winter.Helideck came to Queensland f
Albury sprinter Helideck will wear blinkers for the first time when he attempts to defend his Listed Prime Minister's Cup crown at the Gold Coast on Saturday.
Helideck arrived in Queensland last week and wore blinkers when he easily beat former Sydney sprinter German Chocolate in an 1100-metre barrier trial at the Gold Coast last week.
Trainer Brett Cavanough is hoping the gear change will help the five-year-old rediscover the form he displayed in Brisbane last winter.
Helideck came to Queensland for the first time 12 months ago and won a restricted race at Eagle Farm on April 26 before breaking the track record at his next appearance in the Listed Prime Minister's Cup (1300m).
Scott Seamer rode him in his Prime Minister's Cup triumph but Ric McMahon was aboard Helideck for the gelding's biggest win of his career next start in the Group Three BTC Sprint (1300m) at Doomben.
Cavanough pushed on with Helideck following his BTC Sprint win but the son of Iglesia failed in both the Group One Doomben 10,000 and Group One Stradbroke Handicap.
Helideck failed again in three Group races in Melbourne last spring and is yet to find his best form in three starts this campaign which included a disqualification when his lead bag came off in a race at Albury last month.
Cavanough is at a loss to explain Helideck's form slump in Melbourne but can see a marked difference in the sprinter's attitude since returning to Queensland.
"He didn't come up in the spring and I can't put my finger on it," he said.
"I know he's not a good traveller but I wanted to see how good he was so I took him to Melbourne but he struggled down there.
"He's been carrying big weights this campaign and his form has been only ordinary but that was until he got up here again.
"I can't get him looking and working any better and his work, and physical wellbeing, is now exactly the same as when he was here last year."
Cavanough said Helideck would follow the same path as last winter to the major sprints but he needed to run well at the Gold Coast.
"He's got to run well on Saturday if we want to run him next in the Darley Sprint then the Doomben 10,000 and Stradbroke," he said.
Chris Whiteley, who has vast experience riding at the tricky Gold Coast track, has been engaged for Helideck in the Prime Minister's Cup.