Gallagher will open a new campaign at Ruakaka on Saturday with the hope of a return to black type competition in the new season.

The youngster showed promise in his first three runs before a break and he is forward to resume in the Almanzor at Cambridge Stud 1000m.

“Like everyone else in the country we’re looking at the Guineas races,” trainer Jacob McKay said.

“We hope and dream and what he has done so far has me quite excited.”

Gallagher finished runner-up on debut and was then an unlucky fifth in the Gr.3 Phoenix Park 2YO Classic (1200m).

“He was pretty stiff at New Plymouth, he got held up a couple of times before the turn,” McKay said.

“He got squeezed up again in the final 50m and Johnathan (Parkes) was adamant he could have run third.”

Gallagher was turned out after the son of Epaulette and an Encosta de Lago mare ran sixth in the Gr.3 Reid & Harrison Slipper (1200m) in February.

“To be fair, he was a late foal and when I bought him at Karaka to syndicate he was a bit backward,” McKay said.

“Anything he does as a two-year-old is a bit of a bonus.”

To be ridden at Ruakaka by McKay’s brother Shaun, Gallagher has drawn wide but that hasn’t dampened any enthusiasm.

“It’s probably not the worst from the start there,” McKay said. “There’s a bit of a dog leg and if he jumps nicely he should be able to get on the pace.

“He’s showed a bit of gate speed and in a fresh state he should be able to bounce out and put himself in the race.”