Smart Star Of Michelin puts cards on the table for winter carnival
Trainer Stuart Kendrick is convinced he has the ideal Queensland Guineas horse after Star Of Michelin swooped to late to salute in a perfect trial for the mile journey.
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Flashy chestnut Star Of Michelin booked his ticket at least to the early carnival features after rounding up his rivals in grand style at Eagle Farm.
Trainer Stuart Kendrick will map out a carnival plan with owner Judy Cutts, but said it’s likely Star Of Michelin will have one more start before the Queensland Guineas in late April.
“It was frustrating last start because he had no luck from the good gate. Everywhere Matty (McGillivray) went, he landed in the wrong spot,” Kendrick said.
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“I told Steph (Thornton) up to the mile should be perfect, she had a good feel of him a couple of starts ago and we just wanted to find clear room and let him wind up.
“He seems the perfect Queensland Guineas type of horse and now it’s a matter of whether we concentrate at the mile, or step him out over further after that.”
A few punters lined the pockets with a successful long priced move on the Garnett Taylor trained Bold Style.
After Mishani Epic arrived at $51 earlier, Bold Style popped a few bubbles when Mark Du Plessis steered him home following a $71 to $31 price tumble.
Taylor said he was luckless in his previous run at Beaudesert and noted “you could have got 100s” on Friday about his chances.
“He won his maiden at Cairns, then had a knee operation,” Taylor said.
“When he returned at Toowoomba, he reared up and got his leg over the rails.
“Then he was last on the corner at Beaudesert and nothing went right.
“He’s not a bad horse this.”
PAPA JO‘S TRAINER ADAMANT VETERAN CAN GO DISTANCE
Lindsay Hatch says Papa Jo shouldn’t be viewed as just a pure speed horse after he again showed a clean pair of heels to win over 1000m at Eagle Farm.
Papa Jo had bolted in over 870m at Toowoomba in his previous two wins and again proved too sharp, winning the Benchmark 70 Handicap against better grade on Saturday.
“I think he can get out in distance for sure,” Hatch said.
“He’s kept improving, which you like to see.
“He’s had a lot of feet issues. That’s why I’ve taken my time with him.”
Deagon trainer Michael Lakey attributed regular trips to Sandgate Beach as the reason Brocson was still racing as well as ever.
At start No. 76 on Saturday, the eight-year-old notched his eighth win when using the pull in the weights to wear down the equal favourite Ruby Guru in the Benchmark 75 Handicap (2425m).
“He’s one horse when you take him down (to the beach), he loves it,” Lakey said. “It’s probably a great thing for these long-distance horses and old horses like him, just to help his legs and keep him going forward.”
Tony Gollan thinks Lucas Cranach gelding Get Stuck In can furnish into a stakes performer after he dominated from the front in the Open Handicap (1500m) on Saturday.
Get Stuck In has won previous races from well back, but his past three wins have been on-speed and Baylee Nothdurft took the initiative early to control the race from the front.
He pinned the ears back in the straight and went on to salute by more than four lengths.
Originally published as Smart Star Of Michelin puts cards on the table for winter carnival
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