Premiership trainer Tony Gollan has selected Gundy Spirit as the pick of his four runners in the Listed $175,000 Jones Retail Lough Neagh Stakes (1350m) at Doomben on Saturday.
Gollan will also saddle up Group 1 winner Temple Of Boom, smart sprinter Fontelina and Brave Ali who is making his first race track appearance for twelve months.
Gundy Spirit has shown gradual improvement at his three runs back from a spell, his latest resulted in a second to his stablemate Didntcostalot who led all of the way to win the Group 3 $200,000 Channel 7 George Moore Stakes (1200m) at Doomben a fortnight ago.
Gollan can see the Jet Spur five year old liking the step up to the 1350m, a distance that he has won over on four previous occasions, three of them at Doomben.
“Gundy Spirit is probably the pick of them on facts and figures,” Gollan told Racing Queensland News.
“Gundy Spirit will be looking for 1350 metres and is on the same weight after running second in the George Moore.”
“He’s come through his normal self, is nice and bright and in good order.”
Luke Tarrant has been aboard Gundy Spirit at his last two runs and will be able to give him a good trail into the race from barrier three.
Tegan Harrison will renew her association with top weight Temple Of Boom who has drawn barrier seven in the eleven horse field.
Fontelina has drawn well at gate two and Jim Byrne is back on after partnering the seven year old when third in the George Moore Stakes while apprentice Allannah Fancourt gets the ride on Brave Ali who will jump from the outside gate.
Bookies at Ladbrokes.com.au disagree with Gollan and have Fontelina marked as the shortest of his four runners at $5.50 with Gundy Spirit listed as a $9 chance, Temple Of Boom at $13 and Brave Ali is one of the outsiders of the field at $81.
The Gerald Ryan trained Peace Force heads the market order at $4, just ahead of Weinholt at $4.20.
Lough Neagh Stakes market order at Ladbrokes.com.au: $4 Peace Force, $4.20 Weinholt, $5.50 Fontelina, $6 Saluter, $8 Steel Zip, $9 Gundy Spirit, $12 Miss Cover Girl, $13 Temple Of Boom, $61 Anna Lizzie, $81 Brave Ali, $101 Abu Ben Adam.