Skip to main navigation Skip to main content

Pennino may head down winter carnival path

26 January 2018

Share this page

Share on a platform

Or copy the page link

By Glenn Davis

Promising Caloundra filly Pennino could join stablemates Monsieur Gustave and Bat A Kat on the winter carnival path if successful at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday.

Pennino is one of the early favourites in the Coastline BMW 3 Series Two-Year-Old Classic (1200m) following an impressive last start win on her home track.

Trainer Darryl Hansen doesn’t like getting ahead of himself but has a good opinion of the daughter of Easy Rocking and hopes she can follow Monsieur Gustave and Bat A Kat to the Brisbane winter carnival.

Monsieur Gustave, winner of the Group 3 George Moore Stakes during the summer carnival, was forced to the paddock with a minor injury after failing behind boom sprinter Care To Think in The Buffering at Doomben last month.

He will return in time to target the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 and Group Stradbroke Handicap in the winter while Bat A Kat is enjoying a break ahead of a possible Group 2 Queensland Guineas campaign in June.

Hansen is confident Pennino will run 1600 metres, like her brother Balboa Rocks.

“She’s a full sister to Balboa Rocks and he can run 1600 metres so who knows where she might end up if she can run the trip,” Hansen said.

“She was going a bit sour in the stable so I gave her a week off in the paddock and she’s been back in the stable for the past week.”

Pennino finished second to Clockwise in her debut at the Sunshine Coast when she made up a lot of ground late to go down in a photo.

She then led and never looked in danger of defeat when easily accounting for her rivals with a five-length win at the Sunshine Coast on January 7.

“She was a bit green in her first start and got back a bit too far,” Hansen said.

“But she was very impressive winning last time.

“I’ll see how she goes in this first but if she happened to win then I’ll freshen her up and aim her for the winter.

“Hopefully, she’ll run 1600 metres which would bring the Sires’ Produce and J J Atkins into play.

“But she’d have to win this and do it well to go that way.

“She’s up against a good field and there’s a couple in this that go pretty good.”

Hansen has named the John Zielke-trained favourite Hopes Eternal as the main danger.

“Hopes Eternal has the form on the board but my filly goes good so hopefully she can win,” he said.

Racing Queensland webnews    January 26