Better things ahead for Merimee

By Glenn Davis

The Chris Waller stable is predicting better things ahead for improving filly Merimee following her upset win in the QTIS Three-Year-Old Handicap at Doomben on Saturday.

Merrimee, ridden by Ron Stewart, charged home late to down heavily backed NSW visitor Cool Lad by almost three lengths.

Stable foreman Brett Killion believes Merrimee, who started a $20 hope - and is part-owned by Denise Martin’s Star Thoroughbreds - is more seasoned now and is developing with time.

The daughter of Winning Rupert showed potential last campaign winning twice in the metropolitan area but was having only her second start this campaign.

“She was third up the day she won at Eagle Farm last campaign when she put in a similar dash coming with an unimpeded run from well back in the field,” Killion said.

“She really appreciates that. It looked a bubbling sort of race on paper and she didn’t get interested until the 800 metres and came with a big burst.

“She’s really matured and is racing a lot more tractably now.

“She’s relaxing very well which is the key to her and she should get 1600 metres.

“I think she’ll go on with it this preparation.”

Earlier, the Tony Gollan-trained Ef Troop returned to the winner’s stall for the first time in more than two years after winning the Open Handicap.

Ridden by Ben Thompson, Ef Troop powered home late to overhaul Roman Aureus to score by half-a-length with the well backed Goodonya Sonja, a further five lengths away.

Ef Troop looked to be a future star early in his career winning the Listed Phelan Ready Stakes which earned him a trip to Sydney for the Golden Slipper at Rosehill in 2017.

However, after a close fourth in the Magic Millions won by Sunlight and a narrow defeat in the Group 2 Todman Slipper Stakes at Randwick, Ef Troop finished 12th in the Golden Slipper won by Estijaab.

Ef Troop won one more race for Gollan before he was transferred to Tony McEvoy in Melbourne who only coaxed one more win out of the son of Spirit Of Boom in nine starts.

The six-year-old’s win was his first since winning for McEvoy in the Listed Christmas Handicap at Morphettville in December, 2019.

Former champion apprentice Tiffani Brooker landed her first city winner since making her comeback following a well-documented series of personal issues when Jemeldi claimed the Two-Year-Old Handicap.

Brooker battled a number of personal addictions after suffering back and neck problems following a fall at the Sunshine Coast in 2018.

She was later banned for nine months after testing positive to a number of illicit substances.

Since returning to the saddle, Brooker has won 36 races to be in the top ten jockeys in the Queensland Jockeys Premiership.