Stradbroke Handicap reject Moss ‘N’ Dale will get his chance to shine during the Queensland Winter Racing Carnival when he lines up in the Listed $175,000 City Of Ipswich Eye Liner Stakes (1350m) at Ipswich on Saturday.
Moss ‘N’ Dale, above, is one of the main fancies for the 2018 Eye Liner Stakes at Ipswich. Photo by Jenny Barnes.
Victorian trainer Peter Gelagotis brought Moss ‘N’ Dale to Queensland after the gelding scored a nice win over 1400m at Flemington on May 19 but was relegated to third emergency for the Group 1 $1.5m Stradbroke Handicap (1350m) at Doomben last Saturday and failed to get a run.
Gelagotis’ next thought was to chase some easier targets and Moss ‘N’ Dale is now one of the main players in the Eye Liner Stakes on the second line of betting at $4.60 with Ladbrokes.com.au.
“He’s there to compete, this race fits in well being only a week later, so why not?” Gelagotis told The Courier-Mail
“Then there’s the Glasshouse at Caloundra in a couple of weeks.”
“From a great draw, he’s just going to get a gun run.
“There looks like there will be a couple that will roll along nicely and he should be able to stalk that speed beautifully.”
Gelagotis said that Moss ‘N’ Dale rarely runs a bad race and even though he is not a gross horse, the Moe trainer likes the way he tries his best every start and another good effort in the Eye Liner Stakes will see his Winter Carnival campaign extend to run in the Listed $175,000 Oaks Hotels & Resorts Glasshouse Handicap (1400m) at the Sunshine Coast on June 30.
“He’s been a ripper. He’s a three-state Saturday winner, which not many horses boast that on their CV,” Gelagotis said.
“He’s a little pocket rocket. Very neat on his feet. He’s not a big gangly gross thing, he’s a little fighter.”
Moss ‘N’ Dale, with Anthony Darmanin in the saddle, has drawn barrier four in the Eye Liner Stakes field that has been reduced to twelve runners following the early scratchings of Tougherthantherest and Oink.
The Toby Edmonds trained Tyzone has been impressive working his way up through the grades and is holding a slender lead in the race for favouritism at $4.50 at Ladbrokes.com.au.
Tyzone is on a hat trick and will jump from barrier three with Jeff Lloyd aboard again after partnering the four year old at his last two starts for a win in a 1200m BenchMark 85 Handicap at the Gold Coast followed by a win in a 1200m BenchMark 95 Handicap at Doomben.
On the third line of betting at $6 is the Tony Gollan trained Most Important just ahead of his stablemate I’m A Rippa and the Darren Weir trained Lucky Hussler at $7.
