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Bat A Kat earns winter campaign after another Doomben win.

20 January 2018

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By Glenn Davis

Summer discovery Bat A Kat showed he won’t be out of place in some of the Brisbane winter carnival features with another dominant display at Doomben on Saturday.

Bat A Kat made it four wins from nine starts when he overcame 59 kilograms and a wide passage to down Susurri by 1-1/4 lengths in the QTIS Three-Year-Old Handicap (1350m).

Bat A Kat was bred by Rockhampton friends of trainer Darryl Hansen who pulled the right reign by giving the Falvelon gelding one more start following his impressive Gold Coast win on January 6.

Bat A Kat was ineligible for the Magic Millions day last week and has now earned a well-deserved break to prepare for the Brisbane winter carnival.

Hansen is likely to target the Group 2 Queensland Guineas (1600m) at Doomben on June 9 with Bat A Kat.

“It was a very strong win considering his big weight and being caught three wide,” Hansen said.

“He’ll go for a break now and come back for the winter and a race like the Queensland Guineas.

“We’ll see where he lands first but it was 1350 metres today and he’ll definitely get further.”

Hansen also hopes to have a strong winter presence with stablemate Monsieur Gustave who is being aimed the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 and Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap in the winter.

Earlier a strict diet and plenty of exercise helped pave the way for jockey Larry Cassidy’s success on First Crush in the Benchmark 90 Handicap (1630m).

The Chris Munce-trained First Crush bounced back from a Gold Coast failure to down Slydini by 1-1/4 lengths with Don’t Tell Mama, a long head away, third.

Munce praised Cassidy for a perfect ride and reward after struggling with his weight in recent times.

Cassidy was able to make the minimum 54 kilograms thanks to a strict diet and exercise routine.

“I’ve been riding 54 kilos but it’s been a struggle,” Cassidy said.

“I’ve been on a meal plan for the past 10 days.

“After I got back from the track this morning I was 54.7 kilos and I only had to take off three-quarters of a kilo instead of about two kilos.

“I’m going to the track feeling a lot better now and I’ll be even better in a few weeks.”

Munce is looking forward to the next few months with his stable runners following First Crush’s win.

“His first two runs back were fantastic but his last run at the Gold Coast was a bit average so I freshened him up and brought him back in distance,” Munce said.

“It was good to draw a decent alley. You have your hand on your heart whenever you draw outside six at Doomben.

“I’ve got a good stable at the moment and the next few months look to be quite encouraging.”

Racing Queensland webnews   January 18