By Glenn Davis
Team Guy will have one last throw at the stumps with consistent sprinter Slydini at Doomben on Saturday.
Win, lose or draw, Slydini will head to the spelling paddock for a well-deserved break after contesting the Icon Group Open Handicap (1600m).
Slydini has been one Brisbane’s most consistent sprinters but a frustration for his supporters.
The six-year-old lined up for his 40th start last outing and for the fourth consecutive time finished second in a 1630-metre Benchmark 90 race at Doomben on January 20.
“This is a good race for him and he gets another chance to win,” said Bryan Guy, co-trainer with son, Daniel.
“He had to sit three wide last start while Larry Cassidy on the winner managed to get an easy run on the inside.
“I think 1600 metres is probably his best distance so hopefully he can win.
“But he’s heading to the paddock on Monday win, lose or draw.”
Slydini was originally trained in Sydney by Joe Pride before being sold to new owners and sent to the Guys at the Gold Coast.
“He wore blinkers when he first came to me but I took them off ages ago,” Guy said.
Critics have labelled Slydini as purely a wet tracker but Guy dismisses the accusations.
“He can handle both wet or dry and we’ve had a lot of luck with him,” he said.
“He’s just been a bit stiff on some occasions.”
Team Guy is slowly rebuilding its stable and is the only Gold Coast stable to offer its owners video footage of trackwork sessions.
“After every fast work session all our owners get an email with video footage of their horse’s work,” Guy said.
Guy, a multiple Group 1 winner, is a former Brisbane premiership-winning trainer but has cut his stable numbers back to 30 horses in recent times.
“I had 66 horses in work when I won the Brisbane trainers’ premiership but I decided to cut back in our numbers a few years ago,” Guy said.
“I’ve now got around 30 horses but I’d like it to be around 40.”
Racing Queensland webnews February 1