By Alex Nolan
Kiwi trainer Tony Pike will seriously consider running Doomben 10,000 winner The Bostonian in this weekend’s Group 1 Kingsford-Smith Cup (1300m) at Eagle Farm despite earlier indications he would be saved for the TAB Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) on June 8.
Pike said The Bostonian put in an ‘outstanding’ piece of work in Brisbane on Tuesday morning, which has forced him to re-think the four-year-old gelding’s preparation.
The Bostonian flies fresh and made it five first-up wins from as many attempts when he beat a charging Osborne Bulls in the first Group 1 of the winter at Doomben on May 11.
“He galloped at Eagle Farm this morning and he went outstanding so we’ll see how he pulls up overnight and talk to the owners today,” Pike said.
“It’s probably getting a stronger possibility he’ll run on Saturday.”
The Bostonian is unbeaten in four Queensland runs, including three as a three-year-old, when he won the Group 3 Sunshine Coast Guineas and Listed Daybreak Lover.
“He’s proven he can back-up over here and he just seems to thrive in Queensland,” Pike said.
“We’ll assess him over the next 24 hours and make a final decision in the morning.”
The Bostonian is expected to receive about 55.5kg in the Stradbroke if he bypasses this weekend’s 1300m feature.
“If he won on Saturday he would probably get a little bit more … it looks like it’s going to be a pretty compressed handicap this year,” Pike said.
Pike also has Group 2 Easter Handicap winner Endless Drama due to resume in the Kingsford-Smith Cup. The ex-Chris Waller galloper finished fifth in the weight-for-age sprint last year before going to run 10th in the Stradbroke.
Meanwhile, Pike fillies Our Intrigue and Simply Sacred continue to plot a path toward the three-year-old classics.
Pike remains confident Our Intrigue can have an impact in next weekend’s Queensland Oaks at Doomben.
Our Intrigue struggled on the Heavy 9 in the Gold Coast Bracelet before going on to win a 3YO Handicap in mid-week company over the Oaks distance (2200m) at the Sunshine Coast.
“She never handled the track at the Gold Coast and we were concerned (about the Heavy 8) at the Sunshine Coast but her class got her through,” he said.
“It was a pretty soft win in the end, she’s pulled up super and is working really well. She’s a genuine Oaks chance.”
Pike said Simply Sacred was unlikely to make it to the Oaks but he will consider nominating the filly for the Queensland Derby on June 8.
“She’ll run in a 3YO race at Ipswich next Wednesday over 2150m and if she happened to win that extremely well we might put in a late nomination,” he said.