Green eyes off QTIS Jewel redemption with Ahooshu

By Glenn Davis

Rockhampton trainer Graeme Green is hoping the Startantes form line stacks up as talented sprinter Ahooshu bids for his first city win in the Three-Year-Old Quality Handicap at Doomben on Saturday.

Ahooshu is yet to miss a prize money cheque in his seven start career, with four wins and three minor placings.

One of those placings was a third behind the Rob Heathcote-trained Startantes when the pair clashed at Doomben in April.

“Startantes is running in the Group 1 Flight Stakes in Sydney on Saturday so I’m hoping the form stacks up,” Green said.

“They were two-year-olds when they met at Doomben last time and we were at the end of our campaign when Ahooshu ran third to her.

“Startantes has really stepped up to the mark since then and my bloke has also improved a lot but I’m not sure by how much.”

Ahooshu will be ridden by regular jockey Chris Whiteley, who has perfect record aboard the son of Better Than Ready with three wins.

Green plans to make the road trip from Rockhampton on Thursday and is not worried about the seven hour haul for Ahooshu.

“He’s a good traveller and will probably sleep all the way,” Green said.

Ahooshu is coming off an 1100 metre win at Townsville on September 9 which followed an impressive 1200 metre victory at Rockhampton last month.

“He ran good time over 1100 metres in Townsville and he drops 2.5kgs from that effort,” Green said.

“Chris didn’t knock him about when he won last time and said he could have easily won by a bigger margin.

“It was a gutsy effort considering he did a few things wrong.”

Green is unsure of Ahooshu’s immediate future while in Brisbane following Saturday's race. 

But, he is leaning to giving him a short break before returning for another shot at the QTIS Jewel at the Gold Coast in March of next year.

“I’ll play it by ear for the time being but he could go for a break after this and come back for the Jewel in March,” he said.

“He ran second to Sweet Dolly in The Jewel for two-year-olds this year and I’m not sure if Sweet Dolly is headed that way as well.”

Ahooshu takes his name from the television show Outlander and is Gaelic for “Of My Blood.”

“Master Jamie is the main actor in the television series Outlander and that’s how we named him,” Green said.

“Ahooshu is Master Jamie’s grandson and is Gaelic for Of My Blood.”

Stradbroke Handicap starter Master Jamie is Green’s stable star and is back in work preparing for a race at the Sunshine Coast next month.