Brissy Duo’s Autumn Not Washed Out

Yesterday’s abandoned trials at Doomben are not expected to have a major impact on the campaigns of two of the most prominent horses which were affected.

Both Emmelene and Temple Of Boom missed out on the trial ahead of their respective trips to Melbourne in February.

Brisbane has been inundated by wet weather over the past two days, the likes of which rival what was experienced during last year’s January floods.

As a result racing is all but certain to be abandoned this weekend and there was no chance of getting on the track yesterday.

Trainer of Emmalene Liam Birchley says his horse had a jumpout last week so there will be no real impact on her autumn program.

“I will gallop her (today) and she will run Saturday week in Brisbane then head down for the Light Fingers Stakes (Saturday, February 11),” he said.

The rest of her program will depend on how she performs there but all going well she’s likely to be extended.

“Nothing is set in concrete past that. I may come back and ease her up for the winter, or possibly head on to the Surround (1400m on Saturday, March 10), depending on how she goes,” he said.

Emmalene showed she’s up to Melbourne grade during her last trip when she blitzed them down the straight.

Birchley says she’ll only be better at her second trip.

“I nearly didn’t take her to Melbourne, she was that close to having enough. Yet it was her best win. The talent is there and once she fills out her frame, she will be a formidable type of filly,” he said.

For Tony Gollan and Temple Of Boom it’s a similar situation and they may just have to make the trip south a little earlier than planned.

“He’s had a jumpout over 650m in Toowoomba and I was already a week ahead of where I wanted to be,” Gollan said.

Temple Of Boom is being geared for the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap on March 10.

He won’t be joined by stablemate Spirit Of Boom which is spelling ahead of a crack at the Group 1 Stradbroke in the winter.

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