Well-known Queensland media man Nathan Exelby is a constant at the track and has all the inside information as we head into another big weekend of racing in the Sunshine State.
BLEAK FORECAST FOR METRO MEETING
THE weather forecast paints a forlorn picture of Saturday’s Doomben meeting going ahead, with South East Queensland in the grip of a huge drenching.
Wednesday’s Sunshine Coast meeting had to be transferred to the Poly and no doubt Racing Queensland are busily making potential schedule changes to next week’s program in a bid to accommodate what will be a back log of horses.
The forecast for Friday has worsened each day with the Bureau tipping 50-120mm as of Thursday morning and Saturday also looks bleak, with 15-35mm the prediction.
The forecast would have to be dreadfully wrong for us to be racing this weekend.
Next week’s Doomben meeting (March 5) is a vital lead-up to the rich QTIS Jewel meeting on the Gold Coast on March 19, so officials will be keen to see sunny skies start to arrive from Sunday onwards.
JEWEL CONTENDERS BEGIN TO EMERGE
SPEAKING of the Jewel, we look set to see some promising youngsters step out in the next week or so as they chase the riches on offer on the Gold Coast next month.
The unraced FLYING RUPERT created a monster impression winning his Deagon trial on Tuesday by 5.5L and clocking clearly quicker time than the other two juvenile heats over 1050m during the session.
Trainer Tony Gollan is planning to debut the youngster in the Jewel Prelude next week.
A couple of other talented Gollan youngsters went around in the next heat, which was won by Kelly Schweida’s HONKYTONK DIVA.
CAPITAL TOWER is two from two and he might be on a path to Sydney after coasting home behind the winner.
NETTUNO is yet to see a raceday, but he has looked very promising in each jumpout and trial. On Tuesday he poked through late, showing he’s come back in good order. He’s one to keep in mind as we get closer to the Queensland carnival.
Chris Munce had a morning out, winning four trials, including three with unraced two-year-olds.
STELLARASHI won over 1050m, while FODOR and ASHMOLEAN won over the shorter 650m trips.
Also at the Deagon trials on Tuesday, David Vandyke won a couple of heats, but it was a beaten runner of his that held most interest.
The unbeaten GYPSY GODDESS ran second to stablemate SPENCER in the opening heat of the session over 1200m.
She is a last start winner of the Group 3 Grand Prix Stakes and is on her way to Sydney for a tilt at the fillies’ majors over 2000m and 2400m.
WHO CAN HANDLE THE HEAVY CONDITIONS?
IF THEY happened to race at Doomben this weekend, at least we know we are looking for genuine mudlarks.
PROFIT has come up favourite with TAB to make it three on end in the Listed Tatt’s Member’s Cup, but he’s yet to see anything like the conditions that will be served up if we race this weekend.
SEA RAIDER is sure to be popular given his unbeaten record on Heavy tracks, but I would be happy to be with the Munce trained SMART METEOR.
He ploughed through very heavy conditions at this track during the festive season and subsequently ran second to Profit when he was coming back to a mile.
Freshened since then, a tough mile on testing conditions should be ideal for him.
I would also be prepared to give KUTAYHA another chance. He was most disappointing when heavily backed at this venue three weeks ago, but his run prior was good and he handles heavy ground.
QUEENSLANDERS MARCH SOUTH
QUEENSLAND has a few representatives heading south for a shot at Group race glory this weekend in the shape of JONKER (Oakleigh Plate), STARTANTES (Surround) and JEMELDI (Skyline).
I’m not sure we can get a winner, but I think they can all acquit themselves well.
Having won a Group 1 in the spring, Jonker isn’t as well served in a Group 1 handicap now, but he’s drawn to get his chance and provided he gets firm footing, he can be in this for a long way.
He was rolled in a Doomben barrier trial by WEONA SMARTONE last week, but trainer Tony Gollan wasn’t perturbed by that given the softer conditions under foot that day.
Startantes is already Group 1 placed and the Rob Heathcote team hasn’t shied away from throwing her in the deep end in a bid to go a couple better this autumn.
She finished off in typically solid style first up and will hit the line again over 1400m.
Whether she’s up to the silk department of the Chris Waller pair remains to be seen, but she’s there to race well and she’s proven herself on ground to Soft 7, so should cope with the conditions.
Jemeldi is a bit of a surprise packet, but a great story for former jockey turned trainer Tom Button.
He’s won two from two and given it looks a long way from a vintage year for the babies, Button has decided to roll the dice in the Group 3.
QUEENSLAND SUMMER FORM CAN SHINE
WITH the Queensland metro meeting in doubt, it seems we might have to switch south to find a winner this weekend and I’m happy to look at the Magic Millions form over summer to do that.
KIKU appeals strongly to me in the Guy Walter Proven Thoroughbred Stakes.
NO question ICEBATH is sensationally placed under the conditions of this race, but at $10, I think Kiku is a worthy gamble.
She’s a genuine heavy tracker who was excellent behind KEMENTARI on Heavy 10 ground at Doomben on January 1, before finding 1300m too sharp behind SNAPDANCER on Magic Millions day.
Out to 1400m on wet ground, she gets her chance to race very well here.
And we’ll stick with the Queensland theme at Caulfield, where Stradbroke and Tatt’s Tiara heroine TOFANE shoots for a fifth Group 1 success in the Futurity.
It does look a stronger tempo this time, but she’s drawn to just tuck in behind if need be and let go again in the straight.