In-form jockey Hugh Bowman is hoping that his reunion with Streama is a winning one when the pair combine for the Group 1 $3m The Star Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Hugh Bowman and Streama are reunited in the Doncaster Mile. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
Bowman, who rode a winning treble at Rosehill on Saturday, has been in the Group 1 winner’s circle with Streama twice but hasn’t been on her back since running second to Boban last Spring in the Group 1 $500,000 The Star Epsom (1600m) at Randwick.
Bowman will be the fourth jockey from four starts this campaign to have ridden the Group 1 winning mare and he is happy to finally be back aboard.
“I’d have to say she’s probably my favourite horse racing around at the moment,” Bowman told RSN radio.
“I’ve had a lot to do with her, won a couple of Group Ones on her and had a lot of success on the mare.”
Bowman teamed with trainer Guy Walter and Streama in winning the Group 1 $400,000 Flight Stakes (1600m) at Randwick in the Spring of 2011 and then the team combined again the following Autumn to win the Group 1 $550,000 Australian Oaks (2400m) at Randwick.
“You can never underestimate Guy Walter’s horses going into these major races,” Bowman said.
“He’s second to none when it comes to preparing a horse for a certain target. This mare has been aimed at the Doncaster and she was narrowly beaten by Boban in the Epsom in the Spring.”
Streama has failed to figure in the placings at three runs this campaign with her first up run in the Autumn resulting in a fifth with Blake Shinn to Catkins in the Group 2 $175,000 Millie Fox Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill on March 1.
Second up with Glen Boss in the saddle, Streama never threatened when sixth to stablemate Appearance in the Group 1 $500,000 Guinness Canterbury Stakes (1300m) at Randwick on March 15 before finishing sixth with Kerrin McEvoy to Irish galloper Gordon Lord Byron in the Group 1 $1m George Ryder Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on March 29.
Walter will also saddle up Toydini who is also coming out of the George Ryder Stakes unplaced.
Streama is currently a $20 chance in the Doncaster Mile market order with Toydini marked at $12 while the Team Hawkes trained Messene heads the betting at $3.50.
New Zealand three year old El Roca is the second favourite at $8 just ahead of the Chris Waller trained Weary at $9, Hawkspur at $11 and Boban and Royal Descent at $12 while the Peter Moody trained Dissident is marked at $15.
