Tiger Tees to bypass Newmarket Handicap for Gold Coast Stakes

Sydney sprinter Tiger Tees will bypass the Group 1 $1.25m Lexus Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington to run in the Gold Coast Stakes at the Gold Coast on Saturday.

Tiger Tees looks set to take his place in the field for the Gold Coast Stakes at the Gold Coast. Photo by Steve Hart.

Tiger Tees looks set to take his place in the field for the Gold Coast Stakes at the Gold Coast. Photo by Steve Hart.

Warwick Farm trainer Joe Pride accepted for both the Group 1 sprint down the Flemington straight and the $100,000 1200m Quality at the Gold Coast and will head to Queensland with the veteran sprinter.

“At this stage I am pretty confident that he going to the Gold Coast,” Pride told Racing Ahead.

Pride is slightly concerned with the 61kg Tiger Tees will have to carry but the prospect of a rain affected track will compensate that impost.

The Gold Coast track is currently rated a Soft 5 with further showers forecast leading up the weekend and a soft track will suit Tiger Tees who has won twice on the heavy and three times on a soft track.

“I knew what weight he was going to get when I sent him up there,’’ Pride said.

“There’s a few horses in the field that are a bit scary but if he’s on song, they won’t be able to beat him.

“He wants the sting out of the ground every day of the week.”

Pride has ventured north with Tiger Tees on two occasions in the past and the Dubawi gelding was successful during the 2012 Brisbane Winter Carnival with a win in the Group 3 $125,000 BRC Sprint (1350m) at Doomben and also won the Listed $100,000 Falvelon Quality (1200m) at Eagle Farm in February, 2014.

Tiger Tees then returned to Sydney to win the 2014 Group 1 $400,000 Bloodstock.com.au Galaxy (1100m) at Rosehill on a wet track.

Tiger Tees’ most recent run saw him finish fourth to Our Boy Malachi in the Group 2 $200,000 Expressway Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill on January 30 and Jeff Lloyd takes the ride in the Gold Coast Stakes on the eight year old will jump from barrier six in the fifteen horse field.

Tiger Tees was rated as a $101 outsider for the Newmarket Handicap but is the second favourite at $5 with Ladbrokes.com.au for the Gold Coast Stakes.

The Tony Gollan trained Whisley Allround heads the Gold Coast Stakes market order at $4.80 with the Steve O’Dea trained Sir Moments on the third line of betting at $6.50.

Gold Coast Stakes market order at Ladbrokes.com.au: $4.80 Whiskey Allround, $5 Tiger Tees, $6.50 Sir Moments, $8 Taroshan, $8.50 Casual Choice, $10 Le Cap, $12 Jopa, $13 Le Val, $15 Flamboyer, $19 Mahican, $26 Mr Favulous, $31 Kempelly, $34 Rock Royality, $51 Florida Fellow, $101 Avalanches.

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.