Top Sydney jockey Corey Brown will be the new rider for Stradbroke Handicap hope Tiger Tees after regular rider Christian Reith was suspended at Rosehill on Saturday.
Reith will be on the sidelines until June 21 after he pleaded guilty to a charge of careless riding in the PKF Benchmark 80 Handicap (1200m) when he shifted out at the 200m on See The World causing Millenium Ruler to be checked and lose ground.
The eight meeting suspension has forced trainer Joe Pride to replace Reith on Tiger Tees after the pair have combined to win at their last three starts including a gutsy last start win at Doomben.
Tiger Tees came into contention for the Group 1 $1m AAMI Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 9 when he held on to win in a tight finish in the Group 3 $125,000 Darley BRC Sprint (1350m) at Doomben on May 19.
The four year old is guaranteed a start in the Stradbroke after receiving a half a kilo penalty for his win at Doomben and Reith will be very disappointed in missing the ride after setting up such a great association.
Pride was very upbeat about his chances after the Doomben win and is looking to a wet track to enhance his chances.
“If he gets a wet track on Stradbroke day I say good luck trying to beat him,” Pride said.
“He’s a very courageous little horse this horse. He doesn’t know how to give in. He never wins by a margin, they’re always coming at him and they never get him.”
Tiger Tees is well in the market for the Stradbroke at $9, not far behind the $5 favourite Sea Siren.
The John O’Shea trained Sea Siren is a deserved favourite after winning the two Group 1 sprints at Doomben, the $400,000 Bundaberg Distilling Co. BTC Cup (1200m) and the $650,000 Carlton Mid Doomben 10,000 (1350m).
Peter Snowden’s three year old Mental is on the second line of betting at $6.50, but is not guaranteed a start yet while likely topweight Buffering is at $8.50.
Snowden will run Mental in the Group 2 $350,000 Queensland Guineas (1400m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday before committing to a Stradbroke start, but he is well down the order of entry and might still struggle to gain a start.
The Lonhro three year old has created a huge impression with a convincing win in restricted company on Hawkesbury’s stand alone Saturday meeting on May 5 then won with authority at Doomben on Doomben Cup day in the Group 3 $125,000 Ascend Sales Fred Best Classic (1350m).
Snowden is looking to a bright future with Mental but admits he will have to iron out his barrier manners after the gelding was slow away at Doomben.
“Probably the only little flaw he has and we just have to iron that out,” Snowden said.
“He’s an impressive horse but higher the level goes, the less mistakes you have to make, we have to get those things right and hopefully come the D day we have them right.”
