Victory Stakes to go ahead at Eagle Farm

The Brisbane Racing Club is confident that the Eagle Farm racing surface will be in fine order for the Winter Carnival that gets into top swing with the running of the Group 2 $200,000 Ellyce Galvin Victory Stakes (1200m) on Saturday.

Group  1 winner Takedown, above, is one of 7 acceptors for the Victory Stakes at Eagle Farm. Photo by Daniel Costello.

Group 1 winner Takedown, above, is one of 7 acceptors for the Victory Stakes at Eagle Farm. Photo by Daniel Costello.

Several Doomben 10000 hopefuls will kick off their Winter Carnival campaigns in the Victory Stakes and Brisbane Racing Club Chairman Neville Bell was disappointed to receive the news that the Eagle Farm track was not playing up to one hundred per cent but said the meeting would definitely go ahead.

Sixteen horses galloped over the surface on Tuesday morning and while the reports from the jockeys weren’t glowing with a lot of kick back apparent, Bell said he would do whatever it takes to get the surface back on track.

“I will get a full report in the morning and assess what is further needed to be done. At this stage the meeting will be at Eagle Farm on Saturday,” Bell said.

“We want to do the right thing by the punting and racegoing public but we also have to consider looking after the track.”

Eagle Farm has failed to live up to expectations following a complete track overhaul that saw the track closed for almost two years following the 2014 Winter Carnival until the Stradbroke Handicap Day meeting in June 2016 and has been in cotton wool since March 13 this year in preparation for the Winter Carnival.

The Victory Stakes had only attracted a small field of seven acceptors which includes Group 1 winners Takedown and Music Magnate who are headed towards the Group 1 $7o0,000 James Boag’s Premium Doomben 10000 (1200m) at Doomben on May 13.

The Bjorn Baker trained Music Magnate has drawn the outside barrier in the seven horse field with Brisbane’s leading jockey Jeff Lloyd booked to ride while Takedown will jump from gate five.

Music Magnate has had a short freshen up since running twelfth to Russian Revolution in the Group 1 $700,000 Nathan’s Famous Hotdogs Galaxy (1100m) at Rosehill on March 18 and will head to Eagle Farm on the back of a 803m Warwick Farm barrier trial win on April 21.

Tim Clark will again be on board Takedown who heads to Brisbane after running eighth on a heavy 8 track to Redzel in the Group 3 $150,000 Hall Mark Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on April 15.

2017 Group 2 Victory Stakes Field

No Last 10 Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight Hcp Rating
1 0x112516x8 TAKEDOWN Gary Moore Tim Clark 5 58.5kg 111
2 1x1210x150 MUSIC MAGNATE (NZ) Bjorn Baker Jeff Lloyd 7 58.5kg 112
3 5x4062538x HOPFGARTEN Robert Heathcote Ronnie Stewart 4 58.5kg 104
4 x1153429x6 SONY LEGEND Brian Smith 2 58.5kg 87.5
5 05x953717x GOOD STANDING James Cummings 3 56.5kg 91
6 2741x4300x MISS COVER GIRL Kelly Schweida Damian Browne 1 56.5kg 102
7 1211x11x1 TUMBLER Barry Lockwood Brad Pengelly 6 56.5kg 89

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.