The Inevitable’s 2500km trip to break four-year mainland drought in Queensland

The Inevitable has taken one of the longest trips possible on the east coast of Australia in an attempt to break his mainland drought as he looks to secure a run in the Stradbroke Handicap.

The Inevitable hasn’t won on the mainland in four-and-a-half years, as connections of the pride of Tasmania embark on a 2500km road trip to try and break the drought in Queensland on Saturday.

The veteran galloper sits on the cusp of getting a spot in the $3m Group 1 next month, but victory in Saturday’s Group 3 BRC Sprint would secure a golden ticket into the race, as trainer John Keys looks to plot a campaign from Hobart.

With 16 wins in 36 starts, The Inevitable knows how to win, but hasn’t tasted success outside of Tasmania since his win in the 2019 Silver Eagle.

After aborting a Stradbroke campaign last year, Keys launched The Inevitable on the huge trip from Hobart to Brisbane, taking three days in the back of a float to reach the Sunshine State.

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Having not raced this year, The Inevitable is looking to replicate the great Alligator Blood, who resumed from a long break in the BRC Sprint from a wide barrier off the exact same rating of 106, before going on to win the Stradbroke three weeks later.

“It is a bloody long trip for a race,” Keys laughed.

“Chris Mahoney, who runs A1 Horse Transport took it upon himself to get three of our horses up there, The Inevitable was one of them. It took three days to do it because he wanted to make it a nice, easy trip for them.

The Inevitable is based out of Queensland for the winter. Picture: Peter Staples.

“It is expensive to do it, it cost us nine grand one way for the horses, they got up there really well. He needs the run to go to the next race, if he runs a decent race for us on Saturday, the Stradbroke is the grand final.”

After running last and getting beaten 12 lengths in a trial at Deagon earlier this month, Keys admits the form line is hardly appealing, but says it wouldn’t be the first time the eight-year-old has mailed it in at the trials.

“The trial looked bad, but they thought he might have had a lend of the jockey in it,” Keys said.

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“At the end of the day he is eight, rising nine, so he’s not going to sprint real fast but he did round them up after the post which no one probably saw.”

The BRC Sprint changed complexion on Friday morning, with two scratchings (The Inferno and Coco Jamboo) paving the way for $5 second favourite Freedom Rally to get a start.

The Tony Gollan-trained sprinter has been aimed at the Stradbroke and was a big finisher when resuming in the Listed ATC Cup on the waterlogged Sunshine Coast track a fortnight ago.

Godolphin sprinter Vilana is the $4.80 favourite, while The Inevitable is $23 with TAB.

Originally published as The Inevitable’s 2500km trip to break four-year mainland drought in Queensland