By Glenn Davis
Trainer Chris Munce believes the best is ahead of promising gelding Dazzling Red following his win in the Broncos Superstore Three-Year-Old Handicap at Doomben on Saturday.
Dazzling Red made it three straight wins leading all the way to down Miss Exfactor by three-quarters of a length with Zukaz only a long neck back, third.
Dazzling Red won his previous two starts at the Gold Coast and Beaudesert over shorter trips but Munce is confident he will run a strong 1400 metres.
“He sat off the speed and ran a fast time when he won at the Gold Coast,” Munce said.
“Then it was more like a barrier trial with only four runners at Beaudesert but he still ran a fast time.
“He’s improved a lot since he’s been gelded and I think he’ll get out to 1350 and 1400 metres later on.”
Munce wasn’t surprised Dazzling Red recorded his third straight win despite not having started for a month.
“He’s a very competitive boy and plain to look at but he gets the job done,” he said.
“It’s been a month between runs with him and he hasn’t had a barrier trial so it goes to show you how clean winded he is.”
Meanwhile Bracteate defied his topweight of 59kgs to score a dominant win in the Construction Skills Queensland Benchmark 75 Handicap (2000m).
Bracteate powered home over the top of early leader Karakabeel to score by a long head with Royal Atom third, a further three-quarters of a length away.
Bracteate was dropping back in distance after finishing seventh to The Rumour File over 2200 metres at Doomben on October 28.
The win was his third for trainer Steve O’Dea since transferring from Sydney’s John O’Shea in June last year.
“He had an advantage with a good gate today,” O’Dea said.
“In his previous two runs he had awkward barriers and ended up being caught wide.
“It was a good tough win and I think he appreciated the drop back in distance to 2000 metres.”
O’Dea said Bracteate was also suited by the strong pace up front from Karakabeel, who was ridden by Tegan Harrison.
“It suited him when Tegan got rolling coming to the home turn,” he said.
“He hasn’t got a quick turn of foot and needs to go through his gears.”
Racing Queensland webnews November 11