By Glenn Davis
Toowoomba trainer Kevin Kemp has dismissed a near two-and-a-half-year absence from the winners’ stall as he plots an overdue win with Sold For Song in the Listed Recognition Stakes at Doomben on Saturday.
Sold For Song is one of many horses to have suffered from the forced closure of Eagle Farm while it undergoes a rebuild and it’s no coincidence the six-year-old mare hasn’t won since the Listed Daybreak Lover at the track in 2016.
“It’s been a long time since she last won but she’s won more than $200,000 in prizemoney in that time so you can’t be too disappointed with that,” Kemp said.
“She gets back in her races and needs a big track.
“She’s a lot like Plumaro who won at Doomben last Saturday. She comes from well back in her races and needs an uninterrupted run.”
Luke Tarrant will ride Sold For Song replacing Jim Orman who has been booked for fellow Toowoomba sprinter Niccanova.
Kemp sent Sold For Song interstate for the spring before she returned home with an eye-catching second to The Kosciuszko winner Bellflyer at the Sunshine Coast on November 10.
Since her Daybreak Lover win, Sold For Song has started 21 times at venues such as Flemington, Caulfield, Rosehill, Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast but only four have been at Doomben.
While she failed to place in those four Doomben runs, Sold For Song won at the track as a three-year-old in the Listed Gold Edition Stakes in 2015.
“I sent her to Sydney for two Group 3 races this spring but she struck heavy tracks on both occasions,” he said.
“She has won in the soft a few times but I think she’s now wanting firmer tracks.
“The Recognition looks a tough race but she’s going great.
“I was impressed with her effort when she hit the line hard last run and she’ll be competitive again.”
Kemp decided against aiming Sold For Song for the Group 3 George Moore Stakes (1200m) at Doomben on Saturday week.
“She’s probably too far into her preparation to come back to 1200 metres in the George Moore,” he said.
“I’m keen to get her out to 1600 metres so she’ll run in the (Listed) Brisbane Handicap next start.”
Sold For Song has started only twice over 1600 metres finishing third on both occasions in the Group 2 Queensland Guineas and Group 3 Sunshine Coast Guineas as a three-year-old.
Kemp believes Niccanova will prove the hardest to beat following the gelding’s last start win on a heavy track at Doomben on October 6.
Racing Queensland webnews November 22