A daring ride and the addition of blinkers saw crowd favourite Sizzling get back into the winner’s stall with a dominant victory in the Group 2 $350,000 Sky Racing Queensland Guineas (1400m) at Eagle Farm today.
Sizzling scores a dominant victory in the Queeland Guineas at Eagle Farm. Photo by Daniel Costello
Sizzling will now line up in next week’s Group 1 $1.36m AAMI Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm giving trainer Kelso Wood plenty of confidence after his stable star bounced back to form following two disappointing runs this campaign.
Last season’s top two year old was unplaced at the Gold Coast in the Group 3 $125,000 Pacific Petroleum Gold Coast Guineas (1200m) on May 4 and then was well beaten when sixth in the Group 3 $125,000 Grinders Coffee Fred Best Classic (1350m) at Doomben on May 18.
But Wood and jockey Chris Munce had never given up on the Snitzel colt and knew he would regain his winning form back at Eagle Farm with the blinkers on.
“He’s vindicated what I’ve always thought about him,” Wood said.
“Blinkers have helped him. I’ve always been a bit reluctant to put them on but now he’s a bit older and that, he’s a bit more relaxed, we thought we better try them, so it’s worked out pretty good.”
“It’s probably made him focus a bit more. Coming here on a bit of a wet track suits him too.”
Sizzling didn’t show very much speed out of the barriers, but Munce soon had him racing in midfield and coming to the 800m decided to move forward.
Munce then steered a wide course around the field and had the favourite joining the leaders on the point of the turn and once balanced up in the straight was always going to hold off Dances On Stars and Lucky Hussler.
“He really turned it on today,” Munce said.
“He was lot more genuine, he began a lot better and raced accordingly.”
“The blinkers certainly did help him concentrate. In amongst horses he was very brave today, whereas before he hadn’t been. They’ve certainly done their job in that sense.”
With Sizzling back to winning form Wood will now have two live chances in the Stradbroke with last start Doomben winner Belltone also to line up next week.
