LIVE COVERAGE: Eagle Farm Saturday 14 December 2019

The TAB Queensland Summer Racing Carnival takes it up a notch this Saturday at Eagle Farm. The nine-race program is highlighted by The Gateway, the Gold Edition, the Lough Neagh Stakes and the final two TAB Origin Jockey Series races. 

Follow our live blog for all the comments from jockeys and trainers, photos and race replays from all nine races on the card. 

Race 1 - 12:45PM TAB No Metro Wins Handicap (1000 METRES)

1^st – Vienna Power – Tony Gollan – Jim Byrne

2^nd – Dream Master – Edmonds Racing – Ron Stewart

3^rd – One Stryke – Lauren Abbott – Jimmy Orman

Trainer – Tony Gollan

“It was a really deep race for a No Metro Win, I was bit worried when we drew wide and even more worried when only fairly away, bit Jimmy’s (Byrne) done a really good job to get him up.”

“In races like that when there’s a lot of tempo you need your horse to be versatile and that’s why you put good jockeys on to be able to switch tactics.”

“I’m very excited for The Gateway, there are some quality horses around Vego One and Outback Barbie but I like the chances of my two.”

Jockey – Jim Byrne

“Sometimes when things go pear shaped at the start you have to go to plan B and sit three pairs back rather than leading.”

“The horse has been in good form lately but just has been plagued by bad gates but was able to overcome that today.”

“I got on the back of Desert Digby into the straight who brought me into in but we were the widest runner and it was a really good sustained effort.”

Race 2 - 1:19PM TAB 'ORIGIN' JOCKEY SERIES BENCHMARK 70 Handicap (1600 METRES)

1st - Ziemba - Robert Heathcote - Michael Rodd

2nd - Great Powers - Les Ross - Dwayne Dunn

3rd - Naked - Barry Lockwood - Matthew McGillivray

Trainer - Robert Heathcote

"There were a couple of questions he needed to answer today, one being the juvenile, two the back and three stepping up to the mile and he's ticked all of those boxes."

"It's a little bit special when you breed them I raced the Mum Funtantes who was one of my very early Group winners."

"There's a lovely race Class Five here for him in a fortnight's time which will suit him down to the ground after what we saw today."

"We won't go too deep with him this prep he's going to make a genuine Saturday class horse and who know how far he can go, he's a very cruisy individual."

Jockey - Michael Rodd

"I could have travelled a bit closer if I wanted to but he was never going to get beaten in the run."

"Once the runs came and I gave him a hit with the whip there was no flat spot he went straight through it which shows the mile tempo is ideal for him."

"Looking at him there's still a bit of filling out to do, he's got a bit of class."

Race 3 - 1:53PM MIRUNNERS Class 6 Handicap (1600 METRES)

1st - Trevelyn - John & Chris Meagher - Ron Stewart

2nd - Hang - Michael Nolan - Mark Du Plessis 

3rd - Dreamreacher - Gillian Heinrich - Dwayne Dunn

Trainer - John Meagher

"He's shown us early doors that the best way to go about it is space his runs he's still got some growing pains but we're starting to igure him out."

"Really pleasing to see him do that today a good hit out before our real target The Wave in three weeks time."

"I'm not too sure if barrier one helps this horse but Ronnie (Stewart) was able to get him into a nice position fourth on the rail and showed the ability to run through a field today."

"I really think he's looking for 1800 this horse and he'll get that in three weeks time."

Jockey - Ron Stewart 

"John (Meagher) said to try to get a spot in the first four on the fence from he draw which is a bit foreign for him but we got there no trouble."

"Most of his previous wins he's come to the outside and ran over the top of them, having not done any work in the run I just waited for the gap on the fence and pushed the button a little early not wanting to get shut out."

Race 4 - 2:32PM TAB 'ORIGIN' JOCKEY SERIES Class 3 Plate (1400 METRES)

1st - Jeweliana - Steven O'Dea - Craig Newitt

2nd - Maslow - Edmonds Racing - Michael Rodd

3rd - V J Day - Kacy Fogden - Matthew McGillivray

Trainer - Steven O'Dea

"She's a filly who's run super over shorter unsuitable distances to start her prep and still found the line well in those races."

"I gave Craig (Newitt) a bit of free reign on where to go on how she jumped from the wide barrier so it wasn't outside of her normal pattern to go to the front and dictate things down in grade with 54 kilos on her back."

"I was a bit concerned when she got herself a bit worked up pre-race, she looks like she might be in season."

"I'd say we'll have a go at the Vo Rogue in two weeks time stepping up against the boys but deserves her chance."

Jockey - Craig Newitt

"It was just play it by ear at the start she was caught wide last start and when she left well I thought i'd take that out of the equation and roll forward."

"I was able to take my time getting across she wanted to pull a bit early, but settled down and was a moral at the top of the straight."

Race 5 - 3:12PM HAMILTON HOTEL OPEN Quality Handicap (1800 METRES)

1st - The Candy Man - Barry Baldwin - Brad Stewart

2nd - Dawson Diva - Garnett Taylor - Larry Cassidy

3rd - Tamarack - Steven O'Dea - Boris Thornton

Trainer - Barry Baldwin

"I didn't give Brad (Stewart) too many instructions other than don't get too close early and you know how to do the rest, he did all of those things and won."

"I think we're going to push ahead to the qualifying race for the Magic Millions in two weeks, hence today was really important giving him a run between a mile and 2000."

Jockey - Brad Stewart

"He had a bit of a reputation of being a tricky horse to ride but he's been nothing but professional for me."

"It was pretty simple today get a few pairs back off a strong tempo set by Prioritise and get him to the outside and he put them away well."

"Pleasure to ride such a popular horse hopefully Barry (Baldwin) will keep me on after today."

Race 6 - 3:52PM PAGES GOLD EDITION PLATE (1200 METRES)

1st - Alligator Blood - David Vandyke - Ryan Maloney 

2nd - Eleven Eleven - Gregory Hickman - Keagan Latham 

3rd - The Odyssey - Kelly Schweida - Jimmy Orman

Trainer - David Vandyke

"I was confident he'd come back a better horse this preparation and the way he went about it today it certainly looks that way, I can't wait for the 1400 at the Magic Millions."

"He was trotting at the turn when Ryan (Maloney) brought him out three wide and worked to the line in a really tradesman like fashion."

"I'll decide in ten days whether we run him in the Vo Rogue before the Magic Millions or go straight in."

Jockey - Ryan Maloney

"There's not much to say you saw how good he was out there today."

"We missed the kick slightly but it didn't bother him we took a position on the rail and as soon as the gap open he just cruised up."

"I gave him a little touch up at the 400 but by the 200 he was off and gone."

Race 7 - 4:32PM ROKU GIN THE GATEWAY (1400 METRES)

1st - Vega One - Tony Gollan - Michael Rodd

2nd - Soxagon - Mark Currie - Dwayne Dunn

3rd - Tambo's Mate - Stuart Kendrick - Matthew McGillivray

Stable Foreman - Craig Cavanough

"He's had an ideal preparation two nice runs leading into today where he got to the 1400 with a good barrier and good ride."

"You would have liked to have got on him at the 600 metre mark he had the run of the race just behind the speed."

"1400-1500 seems to be his go, this race gives us a ticket into the Stradbroke next year which is a great initiative."

"He's got some Black Type now i'd say Tony would be looking for another nice race in the Summer Carnival but I'm not sure."

Jockey - Michael Rodd

"He had the right barrier to get that run and with Boomsara and Tambo's Mate putting the pace on we got a lovely sit behind them."

"At the 600 he was just getting boxed slightly so I played the percentages and edged to the outside."

"He surprised me with the turn of foot he put in to get up to the leaders and I wasn't sure what he'd have left after that but he ran away with it."

"Right weight Stradbroke next year you nevef know I might be back for the ride."

Race 8 - 5:08PM TAB LOUGH NEAGH STAKES (1300 METRES)

1st - Deep Image - Robert Heathcote - Robbie Fradd

2nd - Looks Like Elvis - Bryan Dais - Brad Stewart

3rd - Chapter and Verse - Desleigh Forster - Mark Du Plessis

Trainer - Robert Heathcote

"Someone said to me the other day barrier one at Doomben he should have been winning but he had to work too hard, today from the alley Robbie Fradd said to me I'm so happy to be drawn out there I can get across at my leisure."

"The horse got into a beautiful rhythm and rattled off some moderate sectionals and when you give a horse like him a start you're not going to catch him."

"The big thing wih him is class even when he had three or four wide behind Tambo's Mate one day he just keeps coming, so when things go his way like they did today he's very good."

"We've got a couple of nice options going forward with the Buffering in two weeks or we could elect to go straight to the Magic Millions Cup with him."

Jockey - Robbie Fradd

"I was going to give him a breather coming into the straight but he picked his head up and went bang and he was still strong at the line."

"I hadn't gone for him at all he's got so much to give this horse and when someone goes with him he just finds more."

"I would go fresh to the Millions I think he enjoys the break."

Race 9 - 5:46PM BRC CHRISTMAS MOVIES QTIS Class 6 Handicap (1200 METRES)

1st - Epic Girl - Chris Anderson - Steph Thornton

2nd - Mr Bellagio - Edmonds Racing - Matthew McGillivray

3rd - Simply Splashing - Mark Currie - Jake Bayliss

Trainer - Chris Anderson

"Good to see her back in the winners circle, well done to Steph Thornton the simple message was to send her straight to the front."

"She's come out of two listed races and couldn't be more happy to get the spoils today with the QTIS bonus putting it up around $80,000 for her."

"She'll come backin a fortnight's time for the Listed Fillies and Mares and then hopefully on to the wildcard for the Magic Millions."

Jockey - Steph Thornton 

"She sprung the gates and the plan was to always go to the front and she got there very easily."

"She's coming out of some nice races and has been far from disgraced so with the light weight I wasn't surprised at all to see her pull out plenty to the line."