Luke Nolen
Luke Nolen dominated them at Doomben last weekend and it looks like Brisbane could be his favourite city after he kicked off race one at Eagle Farm today with a big win.
The 1800m start on the track is quite difficult as it’s instantly on a bend meaning barriers play a huge roll and there’s no doubt Heartshaker benefitted from a good draw.
Having said that Nolen managed to position the horse beautifully from the outset and took a cruisey run right around onto the home straight.
They opened up for him as they balanced up and it was a case of too good, too fast and too strong as Heartshaker blitzed them over the final 400m and the race was never in doubt.
It’s continued a real breakthrough carnival for trainer Robert Heathcote who’s always been able to find a metro winner but he’s making a habit of doing it on the big carnival days.
Nolen will be riding for Heathcote again later today when he joins Fillydelphia in the Oaks, and the local trainer is excited about what could come.
“It warmed him up nicely for the Oaks didn’t it,” Heathcote said.
“He (Nolen) oozes confidence, he’s just so relaxed and calm about everything he does.”
Such is the faith Heathcote has for Nolen that he simply left the race is his hands.
“He asked for any instructions and I said no, just do what you do and he went out and did it,” he said.
With Nolen hitting top form early on in the piece it’s a big sign for punters as he’s a man who can well and truly string a few together in a day.
Nolen says Heartshaker’s run wasn’t 100 percent smooth but he felt the result was never in doubt.
“He’s always in control, the pace muddled a couple of times but he always travelled nicely,” he said.
“He balanced up at the top of the straight and he took care of them pretty quick.”
Second home in the Mitty’s Plate was Legislature with World Wide crossing the line in third.
Nolen has six rides throughout the rest of the Eagle Farm program with Persian Star in the Eagle Farm Cup, Tampiko in the Spear Chief HCP, Shanghai Bund in the Sire’s Produce Stakes, Returntosender in the Dane Ripper, Fillydelphia in the Queensland Oaks and Under The Eiffel in the Daybreak Lover.
