Warwick Farm-based trainer Gregory Hickman has taken on the responsibility of getting Future History ready for a Melbourne Cup appearance.
The gelding is set to make his initial outing under Hickman’s care in the Group 3 Chairman’s Handicap (2000m) while gearing up for the nation’s premier staying contest later this year.
Previously with the Ciaron Maher team, Future History placed 15th in the 2023 Melbourne Cup during his debut campaign for Maher.
Hickman noted that part-owner Adam Carney acquired a majority stake in Future History, prompting the long-distance galloper’s switch to his stable.
“Adam Carney bought a major share of it and Adam and I are friends, so Adam transferred the horse from Ciaron to me,” Hickman said.
“Adam originally bought into the horse because Ciaron put it up that way (the Melbourne Cup) and they had a lot of fun with it.
“He decided to buy one of the other boys out which made him the major shareholder and moved him to me.”
The stayer’s last run for Maher saw him finish fourth in the Australia Day Stakes at Warwick Farm on January 26, coming after a trio of consecutive victories at Listed grade.
Hickman mentioned Future History carries over good condition and has completed a pair of trials ahead of his comeback on Saturday, though he admitted they’re yet to fully know the horse.
The outcome on Saturday will shape the next steps for the gelding.
“I think he’s going as well as we can to run first-up, but we’re still learning about the horse,” Hickman said.
“He’s travelled up there well. I think he’s that sort of horse, he’s so relaxed and nothing seems to bother him.
“He’s still got plenty of residual fitness. He only had a short time off. He’s had two trials because he’s a good doing horse and our main goal is the Melbourne Cup, so there’s a long way to go.
“We’ll see what he does on Saturday as to whether he goes around in the Doomben Cup or we wait for something else and then finish up in the Tattersall’s Cup over 2400 (metres).
“We’ve roughly mapped out where we’ve got to go to get into the Melbourne Cup, so he’ll do most of his lead up races to the Cup in Melbourne.”
Nash Rawiller, who partnered Future History in both of his recent trials, retains the mount on Saturday.
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