Gold Coast trainer Kelly Doughty is looking at a return to Brisbane later this month with her in-form galloper Flamboyer for a shot at the Tattersall’s Mile after his Glasshouse Handicap win on the Sunshine Coast over the weekend.
Glasshouse Handicap winner Flamboyer could run in the Tattersall’s Mile on Doomben at the end of the month. Photo: Daniel Costello.
One of the best in betting for this winter’s edition of the $175,000 Listed HMR Projects Glasshouse Handicap (1400m), five-year-old Clang gelding Flamboyer came off a comprehensive two and three-quarter length Eagle Farm win from Tattersall’s Tiara Day.
On the short seven-day turnaround, the galloper travelled to the Sunshine Coast’s Corbould Park track for the first time on Caloundra Cup Day.
Continuing his nice winter form, Flamboyer relished the drop back from 59kg the weekend before to the 54kg minimum in the Glasshouse Handicap and put in a bold front-running display.
Replacing Blake Shinn in the saddle was leading Brisbane jockey Jeff Lloyd who took Flamboyer straight to the front from barrier six leading all-the-way.
On the line Flamboyer ($5.50) had nearly two lengths to spare over the Robert Heathcote-trained Saluter ($4.40), the runner-up also on the quick back-up following a last start second in the Group 3 W.J. Healy Stakes (1200m) on June 25.
The Glasshouse Handicap trifecta features the top three in the markets with Darren Weir’s beaten favourite Stratum Star ($3.40) crossing two and a half lengths off the winner for third with the 61kg top weight on his back.
Glasshouse Handicap winning hoop Lloyd now boasts 67-1/2 metropolitan winners for the season, putting him 1-1/2 clear of closest rival Jim Byrne in the race for the Queensland Jockeys’ Premiership.
Doughtys’s husband and Flamboyer’s part-owner David was thrilled with the Glasshouse Handicap result and the Queensland Winter Racing Carnival success.
“He just controlled the race and was never going to really get beat,” he told the Sunshine Coast Daily.
“He’s now won eight races (from 36 starts) so he’s a good horse and it takes him pretty close to half a million in prize money.
“We’ve got his grandmother (Tiercette) and she had nine foals to race eight winners so it’s been a great family.
“It’s a brilliant race to win.”
Originally Doughty considered sending Flamboyer south for a shot at the $160,000 Listed Ramornie Handicap (1200m) on July 13 during the Grafton Cup Carnival.
Her decision to keep the horse in the Sunshine State paid dividends and Flamboyer could now back-up on July 23 at Doomben Racecourse in the $100,000 Listed Tattersall’s Mile (1600m).
“When he won at Eagle Farm last week it was his first run in six weeks. We knew he would be improved but we decided the Ramornie would be a high-pressure race,” she said.
“The Glasshouse looked a race Flamboyer could lead and then kick in the straight. That is how it turned out.”
