Star colt Glenall joins Toby Edmonds stables on Gold Coast in lead up to winter carnival

THE Ramsey family and Gold Coast trainer Toby Edmonds have teamed up to launch an attack on the $1.5 million Stradbroke Handicap for a second straight year.

Glenall (left with green and yellow silks) finished second behind Samantha (right) at Royal Randwick on March 4. Photo: Jenny Evans.

THE Ramsey family and Gold Coast trainer Toby Edmonds have teamed up to launch an attack on the $1.5 million Stradbroke Handicap for a second straight year.

Star three-year-old colt Glenall has been sent to Edmonds’ stables from Sydney to prepare for the big Brisbane sprints at the winter carnival.

John Ramsey, the stud manager for the family’s Tur­angga Farm business at Scone in NSW, said Glenall could challenge for a Group 1 win in Queensland.

“He has got the ability and we are hoping it’s a bit of a dry winter up there but you never know,” Ramsey said.

“We got him home (after his last start at Randwick on April 8) and he had 10 days off and was jumping out of his skin.

“We thought since he was feeling good and had a bit of a break, it wouldn’t take much to get him fit again.

“We want to try to win a Group 1 with him as a three-year-old.

“We may as well have a crack – you can’t win with them sitting in the paddock.”

The Ramseys and Edmonds came close in the Stradbroke Handicap last year with The Virginian finishing third at his fourth start.

Now they want another crack at it with Glenall, who also stepped up to Group 1 level at his fourth start when fourth to Russian Revolution in The Galaxy (1100m) at Rosehill on March 18.

Ramsey said he thought Glenall, a colt by Redoute’s Choice, was a more likely prospect than The Virginian.

“I’d say Glenall is probably a touch better but he is probably just more immature than The Virginian was at the same stage,” Ramseys aid.

“He would probably be the best horse we have got.

“In saying that Glenall is probably still 12 months from being at his best.”

Edmonds will have three of the Ramseys’ horses for the winter carnival with The Virginian set to return while War Hero was sent from NSW to the Gold Coast with Glenall.

Ramsey said no exact route had been mapped out for Glen­all but the Gold Coast Guineas (1200m) on May 6 or the Doomben 10,000 (1200m) a week later were potential lead-up races ahead of the Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 10.