Gai Waterhouse Classic winner Real Surreal is a very good chance of backing up this weekend in the Group 1 $500,000 Sky Racing Tattersall’s Club Tiara (1400m) at the Gold Coast.
Gai Waterhouse Classic winner Real Surreal,above, is set to back up in the Tattersall’s Club Tiara at the Gold Coast. Photo by Daniel Costello.
Real Surreal was back in the winner’s circle for the first since winning the 2013 $2m Magic Millions 2yo Classic (1200m) at the Gold Coast when she stormed home to win the Listed $100,000 Sky Racing Gai Waterhouse Classic (1350m) at Ipswich last Saturday.
Eagle Farm trainer Kelso Wood was excited to see the Real Saga mare back in winning form and is keen to send her back to the Gold Coast to chase a Group 1 win.
“She likes the Gold Coast and she is racing well. Why not try for the Group One,” Wood said.
Wood prepared Real Surreal in her two year old season and put the polish on for her Magic Millions 2yo Classic win but she was then transferred to the Team Hawkes Racing Stables at Rosehill.
From five starts for Team Hawkes, Real Surreal was only in the minor placings once for a second to Thump in the Group 2 $175,000 Surround Stakes (1400m) at Warwick Farm during the 2014 Sydney Autumn Carnival.
Saturday’s win was the four year old’s second run back for Wood this time and followed a handy first up fourth behind Dublin Lass in the Listed $100,000 Mittys Bright Shadow Handicap (1200m) at Doomben on May 30.
Jockey Michael Cahill was also having his first ride back on Real Surreal since combining to win The Magic Millions 2yo Classic and Wood was happy that the whole team was back together.
“I just want to thank the owners for sending her back to me. She is something special and I think she should have won by further today,” Wood said.
“She got back in the field and had trouble getting clear.”
“It’s a great thrill to get another win with her.”
The Tattersall’s Club Tiara, which is being run at the Gold Coast this year while the Eagle Farm track is undergoing redevelopment, is shaping up as a hot contest with Stradbroke Handicap winner Srikandi set to chase back to back Group 1 wins.
The Ciaron Maher trained Srikandi has shown her liking for the Gold Coast track with two wins from two appearances with victories in the Listed $150,000 Turangga Farm Silk Stocking (1200m) during the 2014 Queensland Winter Carnival followed by a win this year in the Group 2 $200,000 SMEG Victory Stakes (1200m) on April 25.
“Back to fillies and mares, on the Gold Coast where she really likes to race seems ideal,” Maher told The Herald Sun.
Also likely to line up in the Tattersall’s Club Tiara on Saturday is the Lee and Anthony Freedman trained Hazard and Chris Waller‘s Catkins after the pair ran the quinella in the Group 2 $300,000 Best Security Dane Ripper Stakes (1350m) at Doomben on Stradbroke Handicap Day on June 6.
And Gai Waterhouse’s brilliant filly Najoom has recovered from a minor leg injury and will be one of the top fancies after scoring a stunning win in the Group 3 $125,000 Sita Australia Fred Best Classic (1350m) at Doomben on May 23.
