Last start Gold Coast winner Endless Shadow will be on trial for a Sydney Autumn Carnival campaign when she lines up in the Listed $100,000 Evergreen Turf Nudgee Quality (1200m) at Doomben on Saturday.
Another good performance by Endless Shadow in the Nudgee Quality will see the mare head south for the Sydney Autumn Carnival. Photo by
Endless Shadow scored the biggest win of her career for trainer Peter Hulbert when she stormed home to win the $164,000 R.M. Williams Magic Millions Fillies and Mares Handicap (1300m) at the Gold Coast on January 10 and another good performance will see the Dane Shadow mare head to Sydney for bigger stakes.
“If she runs in the first four I might send her to Sydney for the Group 3 race then give her a break and aim for the Silk Stocking at the Gold Coast during the winter,” Hulbert told Racing Queensland News.
Hulbert has picked out the Group 3 $150,000 Triscay Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on February 14 before giving her a break heading into the Brisbane Winter Carnival.
Endless Shadow has won three of her seven race wins at the Gold Coast and Hulbert will target that track again aiming her at the Listed $150,000 Silk Stocking (1200m) on April 25.
The six year old mare handled the tricky Gold Coast circuit perfectly last start when jockey Tegan Harrison brought her from well back in the field to score a three quarters of a lengths win over Anna Lizzie and Champagne Cath.
But Harrison has relinquished the ride to Brad Stewart after choosing to stick with the Mick Mair trained Queen Of The Lochs.
Harrison has been aboard Queen Of The Lochs at her last three starts including a second over 1350m at Doomben on January 1 and a second over 1400m at the Sunshine Coast on January 17.
Hulbert is happy to gain the services of Stewart and can understand Harrison sticking with the Sunshine Coast trained mare, but is hoping her judgement is off.
“She’s chosen to ride Queen Of The Lochs and I can understand that,” Hulbert said.
“Tegan won a $100,000 race for me at the Gold Coast on my mare so I’m not cranky with her.
“I’m just hoping her decision will be proved wrong.
“She may well be right as the 1200 metres is not ideal for my mare as she’s had to keep coming back in distance.”
Endless Shadow is up against Breakfast In Bed again in the Nudgee Quality after the Toby Edmonds trained mare beat her at the Gold Coast two starts back over 1400m in a BenchMark 85 on December 13.
“She’ll race well but I think Breakfast In Bed looks our biggest danger after she beat us fair and square at the Gold Coast two starts back,” Hulbert said.
“But Breakfast In Bed hasn’t raced for five weeks which suits us.”
Hulbert is hoping the track has a bit of give in it but won’t be too concerned if the forecast showers don’t arrive.
“I would like a bit of rain but the track is not going to be rock hard anyway with the recent rain we’ve already had,” Hulbert said.
“Everyone thinks my mare is just a wet tracker but she’s just as good on top of the ground.”
Endless Shadow is at the good odds of $9 for the Nudgee Quality with Ladbrokes.com.au who have Queen Of The Lochs the $3.60 favourite.
Also high up in the market order is Caprossa at $7.50 and Pickabee and topweight Tukiyo both at $8.
