Doomben Cup on radar for Walsh Bay

By Glenn Davis

Talented mare Walsh Bay announced herself as a genuine stakes performer last year and now the training partnership of Chris and Corey Munce hope she can emerge a Group 1 Doomben Cup contender.

A daughter of Deep Field, Walsh Bay steps out for the second time this campaign in the Listed Brisbane Handicap at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Before starting his training partnership, Chris Munce claimed the Brisbane Handicap with Skate To Paris in 2020.

The four-year-old Walsh Bay didn’t set the world on fire when she resumed in a 1350 metre Open Handicap at Doomben on April 11, beating just two home behind the Kelly Schweida-trained Miss Joelene.

“I’m putting a line through her first-up run,” co-trainer Corey Munce said. 

“She was first away from an awkward barrier and then she was speared out to the middle of the track.

“She put up the white flag when we wanted to see her run on.”

However, the Munce stable is looking for a big improvement on her first-up effort in the 1600 metre Listed feature.

Corey Munce wants to see a form reversal from Walsh Bay to confirm plans to head to the Group 2 Hollindale Stakes over 1800 metres at the Gold Coast on May 9.

“She needs to show a big improvement from her last run, but we think she has the talent and class to do so,” Corey Munce said.

“If she runs well, she’ll head to the Hollindale Stakes and hopefully the Doomben Cup.

“She’s a track and distance winner over 1800 metres at the Gold Coast so she deserves her chance.

“It’s hard to say what her pet distance is but I think 1800 to 2000 metres is what she likes.”

The Munce stable paid $85,000 for Walsh Bay and she’s already returned part-owner Peter McGauran more than $485,000 in prizemoney with nine wins and three placings from 19 starts.

McGauran was the former chairman of the Australian Turf Club.

After a down three-year-old season, Walsh Bay turned her fortunes around last spring with a picket fence of six straight wins including the Mooloolaba Cup over 1600 metres and Listed Queensland Cup over 2400 metres.

She was sent to the paddock after a tough campaign following her placing in the Shoot Out at Eagle Farm in early January which dashed plans to run in the $1 million Subzero at the Gold Coast on Magic Millions day in January.