By Glenn Davis
Under-rated filly Cooroi Chase and apprentice Tiffany Brooker survived a pre-race scare before strolling to a decisive win at Doomben on Saturday.
Cooroi Chase dumped Brooker behind the barrier for the Accor Hotel QTIS Three-Year-Old Handicap (1050m) before being vetted and allowed to start.
Cooroi Chase is by multiple Group 1 winner Show A Heart, a renowned sire of wet trackers, and followed the family’s tradition with an easy 4-1/2 length win over Dream Kisses on the rain-soaked track.
Early leader Amelia‘s Dream batted on well to fill the minor placing, a further neck away.
Trainer Peter Hulbert lamented the barrier mishap and thought Cooroi Chase would be scratched.
“It frightened me even though I didn’t see what had happened,” said Hulbert, who trains the filly in partnership with son, Will.
“But I knew she loved the wet and had won a barrier trial by 16 lengths at Deagon.
“Even though she works well in the dry she just doesn’t perform in it but she just loves it when it’s wet.”
Brooker wasn’t overly concerned with the pre-race incident and was never in doubt Cooroi Chase would win coming to the home turn.
“She got a fright behind the barriers and dropped me,” Brooker said.
“When I got back on she was fine and I knew she hadn’t done any damage.
“I didn’t want to go as soon as I did before the corner but she’s a real swimmer.”
Meanwhile an early morning gallop in the wet paved the way for Winter Bride’s win in the Pullman Brisbane Airport Class Three Plate (1050m).
Winter Bride, ridden by Jeff Lloyd, made it two wins from four starts for trainer Toby Edmonds since being transferred from Sydney trainer Peter Robl.
Winter Bride raced midfield most of the way before going on to down Our Jamaica by 1-3/4 lengths with Oh Boy, a further 1-1/4 lengths away, third.
The Not A Single Doubt filly is owned by Segenhoe Stud, long time supports of the Edmonds stable.
Winter Bride finished second at her previous two starts over 1200 metres at Ipswich.
“It was Jeff’s (Lloyd) advice to drop back in distance with her after she struggled to get the last 100 metres at Ipswich,” Edmonds said.
“We weren’t even sure about running her today until she worked so well this morning when it hosed down.”
Racing Queensland webnews November 18