2014 Stradbroke Handicap contenders Spirit Of Boom and Temple Of Boom worked alongside each other at Breakfast With The Stars at Eagle Farm this morning and trainer Tony Gollan is happy with the condition of both horses heading into the Group 1 event this weekend.
Spirit Of Boom beat Temple Of Boom and Buffering to win the 2014 Doomben 10,000. Photo by: Daniel Costello
Spirit Of Boom scored a narrow win over his half-brother Temple Of Doom in the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 (1350m) on May 24 and Gollan told Racing Ahead that he gave the pair a quiet week and is keeping them ticking over in the lead-up to the Stradbroke Handicap on Saturday.
“They are very good and I am really happy with them,” Gollan said.
“They just worked over 1000 metres together and just quickened up in their last 400 on the course proper.
“They weren’t asked to do anything extra special and they just worked together, they are good mates, and worked beautifully.
“We are mindful that they are at the pointy end of what has been a lengthy preparation for both horses, so we are pretty kind on them at home and we hadn’t done anything at all significant apart from a few trips and a bit of trot and canter stuff since the 10,000.
“This morning was their major hit out and they were just perfect and nice and settled in their work.
“We haven’t changed too much, we have kept them ticking over and in their routine, which is what they like.”
Spirit Of Boom will carry the top weight of 58 kilograms in the Stradbroke Handicap, following the withdrawal of Buffering, but Gollan is confident that the weight is not a major issue for the Sequalo entire.
The six-year-old took advantage of a good barrier to win the Doomben 10,000, after drawing wide in both the Group 2 Victory Stakes (1200m) and Group 1 BTC Cup (1200m), and Gollan believes another positive draw is key to the chances of the future Eureka Stud stallion in the feature event of the 2014 Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival.
“It depends on the barrier really,” Gollan said.
“If he draws wide with 58 it makes it hard, but if he was too draw wide with 54 it would still make it hard.
“If he can draw soft and just get that similar sort of run that we got in the 10,000 than I am not too concerned with the 58.
“Both my horses particularly like getting back to Eagle Farm, away from Doomben, so I am looking forward to that aspect of it, but I do think that the barrier draw is more crucial than the weights.
“The softer we draw the better for both horses.”
Spirit Of Boom is currently available at 2014 Stradbroke Handicap odds of $9, while Temple Of Boom is available at a quote of $10 to score his second win at Group 1 level.
