By Glenn Davis
Trainer Stu Kendrick is hopeful of building on his slender early season lead in the Sunshine Coast trainers’ premiership with a strong team of five runners on Sunday.
Kendrick claimed a treble at the last Friday twilight meeting at Caloundra to take him to six wins in the local premiership, one win clear of rivals Steve O’dea and Rob Heathcote.
“It’s been a good start to the season considering we are normally quiet at this time of the year with so many babies in work,” Kendrick said.
“I’ve sold or moved on a lot of the older horses and we’ve got a few younger ones which I’m hopeful will measure up to the city later on.”
Kendrick moved from Mackay in north Queensland five and a half years ago to set up his headquarters at Caloundra.
He has won five Sunshine Coast trainers’ premierships and currently has a full quota of 60 horses in work.
He rates Spur Le Joeur in the Hy-Tec Industries Benchmark 75 Handicap (1200m) and Mymming in the Dunemann Constructions Class Four Handicap (1600m) as the pick of his quintet.
Spur Le Joeur, a new ride for apprentice Jackson Murphy, showed a turnaround in his form when runner-up last start to the Chris Waller-trained Zumbelina at the Sunshine Coast on September 22.
“Spur Le Joeur loves the track and has won eight times here but he’s up in weight quite a bit to 62.5kgs which is why we’re claiming,” Kendrick said.
“He’s become hard to place because he just doesn’t get around Doomben at all so I like to keep him home as much as possible.
“He’ll give this race a big shake.”
Kendrick feels Mymming’s record of two wins and eight placings from 12 starts should be better.
The four-year-old daughter of Stratum won impressively in a Class One on her home track last start following a game second to Tony Gollan’s Galtero at Ipswich.
“Galtero subsequently won at Doomben last start so her form is strong,” Kendrick said.
“Mymming gets in well at the weights as she’s up in grade to a class four.
“She’s racing consistently but she hasn’t had a lot of luck in some of her races.
“I think the big straight at Caloundra will be in her favor.”
Racing Queensland webnews October 7