A good barrier draw for Spirit Of Boom in Saturday’s Group 1 $1.36m AAMI Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm gives the six year old a great chance to take out the glamour Winter Carnival sprint double.
Spirit of Boom draws barrier six in Stradbroke Handicap. Photo by Daniel Costello.
Michael Rodd was able to give Spirit Of Boom a cosy run just off the pace before winning the Group 1 $650,000 James Boag’s Premium Doomben 10000 (1350m) at Doomben on May 24 and he will be able to ride a similar race from barrier six in the eighteen horse field plus five emergencies.
Eagle Farm trainer Tony Gollan was very happy with the good gate and expects Spirit Of Boom to be very hard to beat again.
“Anything inside seven I was happy with, six definitely fits the bill,” Gollan said.
“I’d say he would be forward of midfield with a nice smother, hopefully he gets a run at the right time and gets the last shot at them.”
“The good alley is really important for Michael with the big weight he just has to take his time and try to have the last shot at them.”
Stablemate Temple Of Boom, runner up in the Doomben 10000, didn’t fare as well and came up with gate eighteen in the original draw with four emergencies drawn inside, with Tegan Harrison to ride.
“I would have preferred a one or an eight, not an eighteen,” Gollan said.
“A lot of the speed is drawn out there with him really in the race so I don’t think she (Tegan Harrison) will have to overthink it too much, she will roll out from the good start.”
“The way he has been jumping and putting himself into the races, I don’t think she will have to drive him, he will put himself up in the first four or five aand maybe Bossy on Srikandi can do a bit of donkey work for her.”
Boom filly Srikandi drew out wide at seventeen but could jump from thirteen with Glen Boss still likely to go forward on the Ciaron Maher trained three year old who has been undefeated from three race starts during the Winter Carnival.
Srikandi ploughed through the mud in the Listed $150,000 Turangga Farm Silk Stocking (1200m) at the Gold Coast on May 3 before heading to Doomben for two wins against the fillies and mares in the Listed $100,000 Designline Graphics Juanmo Stakes (1200m) on May 17 and the Group 3 $150,000 Glenlogan Park Stakes (1350m) on May 24.
Adelaide trainer Phillip Stokes was one of the happy connections at the Stradbroke Handicap barrier draw at Eagle Farm when Hucklebuck came up with the coveted inside gate and is certain to be given the perfect run by Dom Tourneur.
Trainer Noel Mayfield-smith was content with Famous Seamus’ barrier ten and expects the Group 1 BTC Cup winner to be right in the finish again.
The Chris Waller trio of Red Tracer (barrier 16), Velrosso (21) and first emergency Masthead all drew poorly while Smokin’ Joey’s good draw at barrier three won’t affect his racing pattern and the Group 1 Goodwood winner will go straight out the back.
