Randwick trainer John O’Shea has taken the blinkers off his two year old Hoss Amor who will go to Doomben on Saturday as one of the shortest priced favourites on Doomben 10,000 day.
O’Shea is looking at another big payday and will also saddle up Doomben 10,000 favourite Sea Siren in the Group 1 1350m $650,000 weight for age contest as well as Hoss Amor in the Listed $100,000 Sita Australia The Phoenix 2yo (1350m).
Hoss Amor also started favourite at her first Brisbane start when O’Shea added the blinkers and the filly came out of the barriers running for top New Zealand jockey James McDonald but couldn’t hold off the finishing burst of Noogoora Burr in the Listed Oaks Hotels & Resorts Hampden Stakes (1200m) at Doomben on May 12.
“He was positive from the gate and she got racing. While beaten I wasn’t disappointed with the performance,” O’Shea said.
O’Shea was pleased with the run and now that the filly has learned to skip the gates, he is happy to remove the blinkers and teach Hoss Amor to settle now that she is stepping up in distance.
“Up to the 1350 metres is why the blinkers have come off,” O’Shea said.
“I’m hoping she’ll get the right run from barrier three and if she does she’ll prove hard to hold out.”
The form should stand up with Noogoora Burr stepping up to Group 2 company since and ran home solidly again to be beaten less than three lengths by top local two year old Sizzling in the $175,000 Bollinger Champagne Classic (1200m) at Doomben last week.
Hoss Amor heads the market order at $2.60 ahead of the New Zealanders Saturn Rock at $3.60 and Choice Bro at $6.
The Shaune Ritchie trained Saturn Rock settled well back in the field and ran home strongly for third to Noogoora Burr and Hoss Amor at Doomben while Choice Bro was placed just behind the leaders and stuck to his guns to wind up in fourth spot.
Leading Brisbane jockey Chris Munce will stick with Saturn Rock for Saturday but will have to switch to top local two year old Sizzling when the pair meet.
Choice Bro will appreciate the extra distance on Saturday after the John Sargent two year old took out the 1400m Group 1 NZ$225,000 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes at Awapuni on March 31.
Kiwi jockey Jonathan Riddell has retained the ride on Choice Bro after being on the Choisir colt at his last two starts including the Sires Produce win.
