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Wet track a boost for Tregea duo

11 November 2021

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By Glenn Davis

The prospect of a wet track has put a smile on the face of Steve Tregea, who saddles up Niccanova and rising star Eloquently at Doomben on Saturday.

Niccanova lines up in the Listed TAB Keith Noud over 1200 metres while Eloquently will be chasing her seventh win in 10 starts when she resumes in the Benchmark 80 Handicap over 1050 metres.

Tregea also had nominated Champagne Aunty for the Class 6 Handicap but a stone bruise forced her withdrawal.

The Brisbane weather bureau's forecast for rain in South East Queensland was was music to the ears of Tregea.

“They both can handle heavy tracks if we get a lot of rain but I’d rather be on a soft track with both,” Tregea said.

Tregea is aiming Niccanova for the Group 3 George Moore Stakes over 1200 metres at Doomben on December 4 while Eloquently will target fillies and mares races during the summer.

Niccanova, a James Orman mount, hasn’t raced since finishing fifth in the Listed Glasshouse Handicap at the Sunshine Coast on July 11.

“This is a nice race for him to kick off in but he’ll need some luck in running,” Tregea said.

“He’s coming along well and has had a jump out and a 900-metre trial.

“I didn’t want him to do too much in the trial as he races in blinkers and he never wears them in his trials.

“It won’t worry him how wet it gets as he can handle a Heavy 10.”

Tregea has ruled out a trip south for the Villiers Stakes at Randwick during the summer with Niccanova, whose last win was at weight-for-age in the Group 2 Victory Stakes at Eagle Farm in May.

“He’s out of all those big handicaps now because he will get too much weight,” he said.

Niccanova has won 10 of his 41 starts and narrowly missed out winning at the highest level when he ran third in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap in 2020.

Meanwhile, Eloquently will be out to stretch her winning sequence to seven when the four-year-old resumes.

The daughter of Poet’s Voice made it six straight wins when she won against her own sex and age at Eagle Farm in July.

“The wet shouldn’t worry her too much and she’s hot to trot,” Tregea said.

“She’s going well and has trialled twice and has placed on a Heavy 10.

“She’s heading towards those fillies and mares races in the summer."