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Goldmarket favourite Mr Marbellouz a surprise Eagle Farm acceptor.

20 March 2019

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By Glenn Davis

Trainer Kevin Kemp has taken out insurance with his Goldmarket Handicap hopeful Mr Marbellouz who was a surprise acceptor for Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Mr Marbellouz was favourite for last week’s Listed Goldmarket Handicap at the Gold Coast before the final three races, including the Goldmarket and QTIS Three-Year-Old Jewel, were washed out.

Mr Marbellouz was among 19 acceptors which included seven emergencies and drew barrier five for the Open Handicap (1000m) at Eagle Farm.

Toby Edmonds also accepted with From Within, barrier 18, who also is nominated for Saturday’s Listed Goldmarket at the Gold Coast.

Leading Toowoomba apprentice Baylee Nothdurft is booked to ride Mr Marbellouz in whichever race the five-year-old starts.

Nothdurft, who won a heat of the National Apprentices Series in Perth last week, will be chasing his first Stakes winner if Mr Marbellouz heads to the Goldmarket.

“I’m probably leaning to the Goldmarket at the Gold Coast as it’s a Listed race,” Kemp said.

“But the Goldmarket field and barriers won’t be out until tomorrow so I accepted at Eagle Farm and will accept tomorrow for the Goldmarket and see what alleys he comes up with and the sort of field he’ll be against.”

Kemp also is wary of the race conditions in both races.

“If we go to the Goldmarket, Baylee can’t claim whereas he can claim if we go to Brisbane,” Kemp said.

The weather also may influence Kemp’s decision with Eagle Farm rated good while the Gold Coast is still in the soft range following last Saturday’s washout.

Kemp is delighted with Mr Marbellouz’s recovery from his last start win at Doomben on March 2 and is targeting the Listed Weetwood Handicap on his home track at Toowoomba on April 6.

“I think he’s the ideal type for the Weetwood but if he runs in the Goldmarket and wins he’ll get a lot of weight in the Weetwood,” Kemp said.

If Mr Marbellouz runs in the Weetwood, Kemp will be striving for a history making fifth win in the famous Darling Downs feature.

The son of Love Conquers All was entered for last year’s Weetwood but he was second emergency and failed to gain a start.

Kemp equalled the long-standing record of the late Bill Nielsen to train four Weetwood winners when he claimed the 1200-metre sprint with Typhoon Red in 2014.

His previous Weetwood winners were Startell in 2001 and Tellem in 2005 and 2007.

Racing Queensland webnews   March 20