Stradbroke Handicap favourite Lumosty has gained a late inclusion into the field of the $2m Winter Carnival’s premier sprint with the withdrawal of the Robbie Laing trained Lord Of The Sky.
Stradbroke Handicap favourite Lumosty has secured a start in the $2m race at Doomben Photo by Adrienne Bicknell.
Robert Smerdon’s brilliant filly Lumosty looked like missing out on a run in the Group 1 $2m AAMI Stradbroke Handicap (1350m) at Doomben on Saturday when she was relegaetd to the first emergency position at acceptance time on Wednesday.
But this morning’s scratching of Lord Of The Sky has seen Lumosty promoted into the final sixteen.
Laing was forced to scratch Lord Of The Sky after he twisted a plate in the float on his trip to Brisbane from his home base in Cranbourne.
Lumosty has been the favourite for the Stradbroke Handicap all week and is currently marked at $5 with Ladbrokes.com.au with Corey Brown to fly in from Singapore to take the ride.
The Fastnet Rock filly has been in scintillating form at her two runs from a spell with runaway wins down the Flemington straight in the $80,000 All Victorian Sprint Series Heat 2 (1100m) on May 9 and in the Listed $120,000 The Straight Six (1200m) on May 23.
Lord Of The Sky was going to be the obvious pacemaker from barrier three but in his absence Kiwi sprinter El Roca could take up that role after showing plenty of dash when he was able to match it with speedster Ball Of Muscle in the early stages of the Group 2 $175,000 Magic Millions QTC Cup (1200m) at Doomben last Saturday.
The Peter and Paul Snowden trained Hot Snitzel has also shown pace in the past and Blake Shinn could decide to go forward from a wide barrier and end up in front.
Hot Snitzel was beautifully drawn at gate two last start when Shinn was able to get a cosy run just behind the leading bunch before going on to win the Group 1 $500,000 UBET BTC Cup (1200m) at Doomben on May 9.
With Lumosty gaining a place in the Stradbroke Handicap, she will come out of the Group 2 $300,000 Best Security Dane Ripper Stakes (1350m) leaving the Chris Waller trained mare Catkins to dominate the betting as the $2.20 favourite ahead of the Peter Moody’s Bring Me The Maid at $6.
Stradbroke Handicap market order at Ladbrokes.com.au: $5 Lumosty, $6 Charlie Boy, $7.50 Black Heart Bart, $9 Delectation, Knoydart $9.50 Generalife, $11 Sacred Star, Srikandi, $13 Boban, $19 Hot Snitzel, $21 Big Money, $31 El Roca, Rock Sturdy, Temple Of Boom, $41 Fast ‘N’ Rocking, Smokin’ Joey, Flamingo Star, $81 Fontelina, $101 Riva De Lago, Tried And Tired.
