Leading Sydney jockey Hugh Bowman will stick with the improving five year old That’s A Good Idea in the Listed $100,000 Carrington Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Leading jockey Hugh Bowman will stick with That’s A Good Idea, above, in the Carrington Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.
Bowman has been aboard That’s A Good Idea at his two runs this campaign for Peter and Paul Snowden and chose the gelding over the Gai Waterhouse trained Spurtonic.
The top rider was having his first ride on Spurtonic when they won the $328,000 Magic Millions Cup (1400m) at the Gold Coast on January 10 but has elected to go with the Snowden trained gelding this week.
Bowman’s first ride on That’s A Good Idea resulted in an eighth in the Listed $100,000 Canterbury Classic (1200m) at Canterbury on December 27 followed by a second to Ball Of Muscle in the Listed $100,000 De Bortoli Wines Takeover Target Stakes (1200m) at Gosford on January 9.
That latest run at Gosford impressed Bowman who is certain there is more improvement to come.
“The improvement That’s A Good Idea showed from his run in the Canterbury Classic to his effort at Gosford in the Takeover Target, which was the day before Spurtonic, was huge and I just feel he’s ready to peak third-up,” Bowman told The Courier-Mail.
“He’s a horse that’s capable of running a fast time and I reckon he’s ready to do that this weekend.”
That’s A Good Idea has won all his seven races on good tracks and the forecast of showers for Sydney for the rest of the week has thrown some concern Bowman’s way.
The Flying Spur five year old has only been placed once from five attempts on a rain affected track.
“He’s nowhere near as good in the wet but I’m yet to work out how to control the weather,” Bowman said.
“Learning how to control the weather … now That’s A Good Idea!”
The Australian Turf Club extended nominations for the Carrington Stakes until 11am on Tuesday after only receiving thirteen entrants for the Listed race.
Premiership winning trainer Chris Waller has entered three, Eigelstein, Heart Testa and last start winner She’s Clean, Peter Moody has entered High Esteem, John O’Shea has Haussmann and the Hawkes Team will be represented by Epsom Handicap fourth placegetter Ninth Legion.
The Waller trained She’s Clean was back in the winner’s stall in a BenchMark95 Handicap over 1400m at Randwick on January 10, ending an eighteen month winning drought.
The Hawkes Team has found a nice race for Ninth Legion to kick off his Autumn Carnival campaign and the Fastnet Rock five year old is certain to perform well after being competitive at Group 1 and 2 level during the Sydney Spring Carnival.
Ninth Legion was placed twice in Group 2 company at Rosehill with thirds in the $200,000 Theo Marks Stakes (1400m) and the $175,000 It’s Betting Season At TAB Shannon Stakes (1500m) before getting beaten less than two lengths when fourth to He’s Your Man in the Group 1 $500,000 The Star Epsom (1600m) at Randwick on October 4.
