Man Of His Word chases easier option in Brisbane Handicap

Last start Eagle Farm winner Man Of His Word will chase the easier option and stay in Queensland to run in the Listed $100,000 Tailored Furniture Solutions Brisbane Handicap (1600m) at Doomben on Saturday.

Man Of His Word, above, will start in the Brisbane Handicap at Doomben. Photo by Daniel Costello.

Man Of His Word, above, will start in the Brisbane Handicap at Doomben. Photo by Daniel Costello.

Gold Coast trainer Bruce Hill had also nominated Man Of His Word for the Group 2 $250,000 Inglis Villiers Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on the weekend but decided to tackle the weaker Brisbane Handicap.

“He’s going terrific and he’s always shown us he has the ability,” Hill told Racing Queensland News.

“He’s slowly getting there. He’s not quite mature enough and he gets a bit lost and wanders.

“We’ve decided to stay in Brisbane instead of going for the Villiers.

“I gave it a lot of thought but I’m taking the easier option to stay home.”

Hill had already ventured interstate with Man Of His Word in the past for a fifth to Press Statement in the Group 2 $200,000 Dyldam Stan Fox Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill during the 2015 Sydney Spring Carnival and the four year old just missed the place again when fourth in a 1400m BenchMark 83 Handicap at Randwick on October 15.

Man Of His Word has been racing in his best form of late with a second two starts back in a 1400m Class 6 at Eagle Farm on November 19 followed but a win at the same track in a 1500m Class 6 on December 3.

In-form jockey Jeff Lloyd takes the mount again on Man Of His Word who has drawn barrier five in the nine horse Brisbane Handicap field and Hill will also saddle up Bodega Negra who will jump from gate three with Robbie Fradd in the saddle.

Man Of His Word is on the second line of betting at $3.60 for the Brisbane Handicap at Ladbrokes.com.au behind the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained Sweet Redemption who has been installed as the $2.70 favourite while Bodega Negra is one of the outsiders of the fields at $19.

Sweet Redemption is coming off a last start win in the Group 3 $150,000 The Steel Builders Festival Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on December 3 while the $4.20 third favourite Cylinder Beach is also a last start winner of the Listed $100,000 Sky Racing Tattersall’s Recognition Stakes (140m) at Eagle Farm on November 26.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.