Top line Kiwi sprinter Star Wondering will be heading to Brisbane for the Winter Carnival for a dual Group 1 campaign targeting the Doomben 10000 and the Kingsford Smith Cup.
Russian Revolution, above, sits at the top of the market order for the Doomben 10000 at Doomben. Photo by Steve Hart.
The Wanganui training partnership of Evan and his daughter J.J. Rayner are keen to head to Queensland with the two time Group 1 winner for the Group 1 $700,000 James Boag’s Premium Doomben 10000 (1200m) at Doomben on May 13 and then two weeks later run in the Group 1 $700,000 Darley Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m) at Eagle Farm.
A good performance in either or both of those weight for age Group 1 sprints will give Evan Rayner plenty of ammunition to take on the the cream of the crop under handicap conditions in the Group 1 $1.5m Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 10.
“Start Wondering is doing everything right and he had a good gallop this morning and wouldn’t have blown a match out afterwards,” Rayner told The New Zealand Racing Desk.
“He’ll run in the Doomben 10,000 on May 13 and there’s the Darley Kingsford Smith Cup a fortnight later.
“We’ll then have to work out what we do and if he goes on to the Stradbroke, it will depend on what weight he gets in that.”
Top Kiwi rider Jonathon Parkes has forged a great combination with Start Wondering which includes two Group 1 wins, and Rayner said that that the pair would team up again during the Brisbane Winter Carnival.
“He’s ready to go and you can’t break a winning combination,” Rayner said.
Star Wondering has collected two Group 1 trophies already this calendar year with victories in the NZ$200,000 Railway Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie in New Zealand on January 1 and in the NZ$200,000 NRM Sprint (1400m) at Te Rapa in New Zealand on February 11.
The six year old sprinter has been freshened up since his last start second in the Group 1 NZ$200,000 Haunui Farm Classic (1600m) at Otaki in New Zealand on February 25.
Start Wondering is currently listed as a $13 chance for the Doomben 10000 at Ladbrokes.com.au who have the Peter and Paul Snowden trained Russian Revolution as the $4.50 favourite ahead of last Saturday’s Victory Stakes winner Music Magnate at $6.
Early market order for the Doomben 10000 at Ladbrokes.com.au: $4.50 Russian Revolution, $6 Music Magnate, $7 Fell Swoop, $9 Malaguerra, Redzel, $11 Hellbent, Takedown, $13 Splurge, Star Wondering, $15 Rebel Dane, Terravista, $17 Counterattack, Danish Twist, $21 Chetwood, Flamberge, Glenall, Impending, Mahuta, Pinch River, $26 or better the rest.
