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Kendrick hopes to finish another successful season on a high

30 July 2019

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By Glenn Davis

Trainer Stu Kendrick is hopeful of finishing one of his best ever seasons on a high with talented gelding Coral Bay at the Sunshine Coast on Wednesday.

Coral Bay will be ridden by apprentice Baylee Nothdurft in the male’s division of the Benchmark 70 Handicap (1200m).

While Nothdurft has wrapped up his first metropolitan apprentices’ title, Kendrick has had another great season and is a runaway leader to take out his sixth straight Caloundra trainers’ premiership.

“I’ve had another really good season and I think Coral Bay will be hard to beat to finish off the season,” Kendrick said.

Kendrick finished in the top 10 in the Brisbane trainer’s premiership this season and fourth in the State-wide title while he is currently second, one win ahead of Tony Gollan in the Provincial Trainer’s premiership.

Coral Bay showed ability early in his career but never hit his best form until undergoing a throat operation last year.

“He had throat surgery last preparation and came back and won three straight,” Kendrick said.

“He was very unlucky not to make it four wins in a row when he ran third after being held up twice in the Provincial Cup Final in December.”

Coral Bay is owned by the Cutts family who have had some outstanding horses over the past three decades including the 2001 Group One Stradbroke Handicap winner Show A Heart.

Miss Sandman was one of Ross and Judy Cutts’ best horses winning 12 races before producing multiple Group 1 winner Show A Heart, who sired Coral Bay.

Coral Bay had his first start back this campaign finishing sixth at Doomben on July 13.

“His first up run was quite good considering he got a long way back at Doomben,” Kendrick said.

“I liked the way he got to the line in the last 200 metres.

“Doomben is not an ideal track for him and he’ll love getting back on his home track where he’s got a good record.”

Coral Bay has been beaten only once in four starts at the Sunshine Coast.

Racing Queensland webnews  July 30