Alma’s Fury Drawn Perfectly In Eye Liner Stakes

Trainer Tony Gollan believes that Alma’s Fury has drawn ideally for the 2014 Eye Liner Stakes and is confident that the gelding can factor in the finish of the Listed event at Ipswich on Saturday.

Alma's Fury will be having his second start for Tony Gollan in the Eye Liner Stakes at Doomben on Saturday.

Alma's Fury will be having his second start for Tony Gollan in the Eye Liner Stakes at Doomben on Saturday. Photo by: Daniel Costello

Alma’s Fury made his debut for Gollan with a promising seventh in the Group 2 QTC Cup (1300m) at Eagle Farm on May 31 and the leading Queensland trainer told Racing Ahead that the Refuse To Bend gelding had taken plenty of improvement out of his first-up run and feels that the six-year-old will get the run of the race in the Eye Liner Stakes this weekend.

“I am really happy with this horse in his first prep with us,” Gollan said.

“He has improved sharply on his first-up run and I am really glad that he drew soft.

“I think with 59 it was imperative that he drawn a good alley and he is drawn to get the good run.

“I certainly think that he can figure in the finish.”

Gollan said before Alma’s Fury run in the QTC Cup that he has had travel placing the Group 2 winner because of his high rating, but is still planning on giving him a couple more runs this preparation.

The Listed Glasshouse Handicap (1400m) at the Sunshine Coast on June 28 is on the agenda for Alma’s Fury, but Gollan revealed that he may back-up the gelding in the Listed Tattersall’s Racing Club Open Mile (1600m) at Eagle Farm next Saturday depending how he performs in the Eye Liner Stakes.

“He won a Bernborough Handicap up here before for Paul Murray, which is the mile race here during our summer carnival that would look tailor made for him,” Gollan said.

“At this stage I am happy to give him a few more runs yet, but his rating is a bit hard because he is getting 59 in these Listed races and he probably isn’t up to those top races.

“He is somewhere in the middle and he is a little bit tricky to place, but I just want to see how much he improves second-up and I still have the Glasshouse in the back of my mind at the Sunshine Coast.

“If I think that he needs the mile he may back-up in the Tatt’s Mile on Tattersall’s Day next week.

“I will really be guided by what he does this run.”

Alma’s Fury is currently available at 2014 Eye Liner Stakes odds of $8.50; with Masthead ($4.80) currently a narrow favourite from Black Cash ($5).

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Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.