Trainer Chris Munce and the training partnership of Kelso Wood and Patricia Gesler have put doubts on running their two year olds Ours To Keep and Snitzkraft in the Listed $100,000 Dalrello Stakes on Saturday because of the state of the Eagle Farm track.
Jockey Damian Browne and trainer Chris Munce, above, will team up again with Ours To Keep in the Dalrello Stakes at Eagle Farm. Photo by Daniel Costello.
The Eagle Farm track has come in for some heavy criticism in recent times after not performing up to expectation following a total track reconstruction that was completed twelve months ago.
The talented Ours To Keep and the speedy Snitzkraft both galloped on the Eagle Farm course proper on Tuesday morning in preparation for their return to the race track in the Dalrello Stakes and their trainers were very disappointed with the shifty surface.
Munce also said that he regretted galloping Ours To Keep on the course proper and wished he had worked him on one of the other tracks after the Seidnazar youngster had to work harder on the main track and now his is uncertain if the colt will take his place in the field on Saturday.
“It was a gallop that took more out of him than I wanted to,” Munce told The Courier-Mail.
“I should have just galloped him on one of the other tracks like I normally do.
“I want to see what the weather does. If it rains, he won’t run.”
Co-trainer Kelso Wood was equally disappointed with the Eagle Farm surface and was hinting that he was not keen to send Snitzkraft around on it on Saturday either.
“Something has to be done. It’s crazy to spend all that money and it’s just been a total disaster,” Wood said.
“People are going to look at this and not want to come.
“The decision on whether we run will ultimately be with the owner, but it’s a worry giving a horse a hard run on a track like that.”
Ours To Keep was one of the early season two year old stars and was undefeated from three race starts before finishing ninth to Houtzen in the $2m Jeep Magic Millions 2yo Classic (1200m) at the Gold Coast on January 14.
Snitzkraft has also shown above average ability with a scintillating eight and a quarter lengths win in a 1200m Doomben two year old Maiden on January 18 followed by a two and a quarter lengths win in the $125,000 BMW M 2yo Classic (1200m) at the Sunshine Coast on January 28.
Damian Browne is set to continue his association with Ours To Keep who has drawn barrier five in the eleven horse field while Luke Dittman will again be on board Snitzkraft who has drawn barrier two.
Early betting at Ladbrokes.com.au for the Dalrello Stakes has Snitzkraft as the $2.25 favourite ahead of Ours To Keep at $3 and the Paul Butterworth trained Capital Gain at $6.
