Brisbane is back in business and we have a stellar nine race card to rip into and its made all the more special because we are spoilt with two yes TWO Group 2 races headlined by the Victory Stakes and lead in nicely by the Queensland Guineas.
With some slight precipitation expected over the next 24 hours there have been wild suggestions we get to a soft track but that is hogwash if you know anything about Eagle Farm. It has the biggest drain of any racing bathtub anywhere in the country and even if we get the weather should present a Good 4 I would expect. The rail is out 3.5 metres for the entire circuit but it is worth noting that on speed runners were advantaged last time out here at the farm so keep that in mind.
Race 1 leads us in not with a 2 year old maiden but a benchmark 75! Mugs and Mugettes you are about to be spoilt with the quality coming up across this card. The 1400 metre event brings a few nice horses together with Alpendurada leading them off here after a smart win latest get in well here and will show a sight if they are running on. Dr Why Not and Westlink provide solid competition though coming of a win and second place they are sure to challenge this backmarker in a race that looks a little light on the pace. Big question, was Alpendurada’s last win a fluke??
Race 2 the time honoured Chris Waller middle distance handicap brings through a bunch of runners that we just love to love to love to hate. Joymaker, Bold Executive and Traduce lead them off and this time do not have to contend with ANY Waller runners, we are as astounded as you are! Traduce looks to go pick up two in a row here and with no weight swing against either key rivals and with pace in Motamayiz and Class of Royalty drawn out inside runners should be able to settle nicely here.
Right there it is, he has switched it around this time and the Waller handicap comes up in race 3 with both Alward and So You Win lining up for the stable. Not to be outdone though the Gollan versus Currie battle reignites and after that protest was dismissed last time could we be heading down a similar path this week. Those four are top of the market but for the sickos out there Happy Go Plucky is in as well and may surprise as he tends to pop up when most have forgotten about him.
Quality, Quality, Quality is what we have in race 5 with the three year olds doing battle and we do have a couple of nice southern raiders and there jockeys coming to play here as well. Hugh Bowman jumps aboard Mass Destruction, with Avdulla jumping on Starosa and Glen Boss on Setanta for the Gollan yard. We almost forgot about the class of Jimmy Byrne who will head this race off on Georgie’s Pride for the Forster team who have a couple of nice runners prepping for an assault on this upcoming Carnival.
A class 6 somehow sneaks its way into this field and David Van Doomben has surprisingly listed a runner here in Cloak. Will need to check back with him on this as he leads along with us the repeated discussion on the state of the Eaglefarm surface. Not be out done though we also have Kubrick for Waller, Guntantes for Heathcote and Slow Hands for Schweida which pretty much rounds out a large portion of the big stables up here is the Sunshine State. If you catch the winner here give the mugs a call because its pretty hard to split a race $5 the field.
The Listed Dalrello Stakes for the two years is a cracking line up this year with the unbeaten Refero, Fierce Warrior, Stellar Magic, Ashema and the Stifmeister all lining up. The latter gets blinkers first time and after the performance of I’ve Bean There last weekend in Sydney Stuart Kendrick is building quite the two year stable. This will be an all out pace war and I think whoever can get to the front early here will be mighty hard to hold out, two year olds love following that rail!
The Queensland Guineas has a pretty nice pedigree with Waller dominating this event in years gone by and the last running of it Kolding came out on top who has since gone on to win three Groups 1s. He has two lined up here in Bucharest and Kukeracha both with solid claims. The real class however comes from the Joe Pride trained Private Eye who form is stacking up everywhere and whilst its strong the Forster team combines again with Jim Byrne with Apache Chase who is absolutely airborne at the moment and if runs a strong 1600M has the speed to put this race to bed early.
If you thought the first Group 2 was a cracker than boy oh boy have we go the race to really get the blood pumping and juices flowing. The Victory Stakes is a Group 2 over the 1200M and the Queensland greats line up here in Vega One, Niccanova, The Odyssey and Master Jamie. While a few of these a group performed they are simply outmatched on paper when it comes to the juggernaut that is Godolphin and there Group 1 winning Trekking. No doubt he is in the prep for another tilt at the Stradbroke but the class is permanent and fourths behind Classique Legend and strong performances in many group ones make him a clear standout. Cracking event cannot wait to see how he has come back!
The Final event comes to us and on paper appears the match race of the day. Fender Bender versus Garry the Baldy. While we have other runners in Potro Duro, Hard Labour and mug favourite Centrefire it does appear the Fender or Garibaldi will be mighty tough to beat here.
The question we all have on our lips is how will this track play?? On pace or run on, or how about for a change just play evenly. Fingers crossed is the latter because if that’s the case we are in for a cracking lead in to what is shaping up as one of Brisbane
Best Winter Carnival EVER!
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