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.
RACING RETURNS TO QLD HEADQUARTERS
EAGLE FARM makes its return after a 12-week renovation for the big Girls Day Out race day this weekend.
The track was stripped right back after the December 18 meeting and at the same time, ‘line planting’ of kikuyu was done as a way of introducing that breed of grass into the track.
The fruits of that exercise will still take some time to come to fruition and the success won’t be known until the fullness of time, but pleasingly the Grand Prix couch has bounced back strongly in the last month.
Jockeys Jim Byrne and Anthony Allen galloped two horses from the Desleigh Forster stable across the course proper on Thursday morning.
Byrne told officials he felt the track ‘looked’ the best it has for some time, but still feels firm underfoot.
That has been one of the long running criticisms of the surface. It is hoped as the kikuyu continues to take over it will provide greater cushion going forward.
For now, the track has been given the tick to race by Racing Queensland and punters will notice it looks a lot different to December, which was more of a ‘patchwork quilt’ type look with a lot of dead patches.
Track manager Jim Roberts said while the track is ready for racing now, it would continue to mature and thicken up over the next six weeks as it heads towards the first day of Stradbroke Season, Queensland Guineas day, on April 30.
HOW TO TACKLE RETURN TO EAGLE FARM
EAGLE FARM has proven to be a real ‘horses for courses’ circuit in the past couple of years.
I doubt that will change too much for the moment.
As a punter, it is comforting to know the horse you are backing has performed on the surface previously.
One filly that ticks that box is GYPSY GODDESS, who resumes after winning the Group 3 Grand Prix Stakes at the track’s most recent meeting on December 18.
Following that victory, trainer David Vandyke set his sights on Group 1 prizes for the daughter of Tarzino and if she runs to expectations on Saturday, she will take her place in the Vinery Stud Stakes at Rosehill in a fortnight before pressing onto the ATC Oaks.
Vandyke scratched the filly from Ipswich on Wednesday for fear of a deteriorating track. She looks well placed in this richer race, having to only carry 57kg after Kyle Wilson-Taylor’s claim.
TAB has posted Gypsy Goddess at $1.95 to extend her unbeaten run to five.
Last start winner RED WAVE is listed as the $6.50 second elect, from SOUTHERN STOCK ($7), who looks a promising stayer in his own right.
PUNTERS TO 'ROCK' ON AFTER THE LAST
ROCK AMORE is a horse well and truly adept at Eagle Farm and he looks primed to send punters home on a winning note in the last race on the card.
He resumed with a strong closing effort at the Sunshine Coast last month, showing he’s on track for another productive campaign.
He won just one of his first 14 starts, but won three times last prep, including second up and another time over the Eagle Farm 1400m.
He was also a close second to stablemate VINCO over the course and that horse has since proven himself in Open company.
Off a good draw, Rock Amore should sit up on speed and be very hard to beat.
CAFFREY looks the danger after two good runs since joining the Desleigh Forster stable.
Given the pair are $4.80 and $5 respectively, the market is there to back Rock and save on the other to round out the day.
HEATHCOTE STABLE CAN CONTINUE HOT RUN
ROB HEATHCOTE’S team is up and about at the moment, with STARTANTES just missing at Group 1 level in Sydney and PRINCE OF BOOM making a successful return from throat surgery at Toowoomba last Saturday.
I’m hoping the little run can continue with SWEET MARGOT MAY.
She was scratched from the Prince Of Boom race and was dual accepted for Eagle Farm.
Heathcote has opted out of the 1000m scamper and instead decided to test her at 1300m against her own age.
This will be the filly’s first run for the stable, having been under the cat of Nat McCall previously.
McCall won two of four starts with the daughter of I Am Invincible, including a dominant first up display at Ballina.
That was enough to see her sent out a heavily backed $2.80 favourite against older horses at her next outing.
She wasn’t quite up to it behind SHAMROCK LU that day, but she ran well enough to say she’s superbly placed coming back to her own age this weekend with just 52kg.
The test will be 1300m with 42 days between runs, but I’m leaving that up to Heathcote’s judgement and am happy to gamble on her.
IN-FORM TRAINERS EYE MORE BRISBANE SUCCESS
MATT HOYSTED and Steve O’Dea landed another double at Toowoomba last Saturday and look to be well placed to do the same at Eagle Farm.
OSAMU comes off a luckless first run for the stable at the Sunshine Coast, while CONTEMPTUOUS and YOU MAKE ME SMILE give the yard a two-pronged attack on the Open Handicap.
It’s hard to say whether Osamu would have actually won at the Coast, given his overall strike rate suggests he tends to find one better, but there’s little doubt he should have finished much closer.
His two runs in Queensland this time around have been full of merit and he gets into a similar class race here.
Putting your money on him does require a leap of faith though!
Not so Contemptuous, who went straight through the grades last prep after a first up second to Tramonto.
He’s trialled well enough and given his winning sequence last prep included Eagle Farm, there’s nothing to be afraid of this weekend.
He had the wood on GOGOL and SIR ROCKET back in October and meets them both better at the weights for beating them.
Market confidence late in the piece will be important, but at this stage, it looks in alignment for him to make a winning return.
BEST BETS – EAGLE FARM
Sweet Margot May: Race 6 - $6
Contemptuous: Race 8 - $3.40
Rock Amore: Race 9 - $4.80