Guy Walter will have both Streama and Toydini in the 2014 Doncaster Mile field and the veteran trainer admits that there is very little between the duo heading into the Group 1 event at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Streama and stablemate Toydini will be included in the 2014 Doncaster Mile final field that will be released this afternoon. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Toydini and Streama have both performed fairly since starting their 2014 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival campaigns and finished fifth and sixth respectively in the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 29.
Walter told RSN that he was happy with the performance of both gallopers in the Group 1 event and is confident that both will produce a strong effort in the Doncaster Mile this weekend, but believes the barrier draw and condition of the track will play a key role in the outcome of the race on Saturday.
“I was pretty happy with the pair of them,” Walter said.
“It was there third run back and they should be ready to peak on Saturday.
“A good alley would be a big help as it always is.
“I think that the draw will be crucial and the type of track that we get.
“She (Streama) has been a terrific mare now for two or three seasons and she is probably at the twilight of her career whereas he still has more in front of them.
“It is pretty hard to spilt them and a lot will depend on the draw and the type of ground that they are going to get on Saturday.”
While Walter has been happy with the lead-up form of Streama and Toydini during their autumn preparations, he is worried about the prospect of a wet Royal Randwick track on Saturday.
Streama has recorded two wins on rain affected tracks, taking out the Group 2 Surround Stakes (1400m) and Group 1 Australian Oaks (2400m) on a slow track, while Toydini has been far from disgraced in four starts on in the wet, but Walter is confident that both of his runners in the 2014 Doncaster Mile field would appreciate a firm track.
“I would prefer a dryer track to what we are going to get, but I can’t do much about that,” Walter said.
“I think that Streama has that kind of reputation because she has won a couple of big races on the slow, but she is a better mare on top of the ground.
“She has better wet track form than him anyway.”
Walter is chasing his second win in the Doncaster Mile after taking out the 2005 edition of the race with Patezza.
