Golden girls key to Queensland trainers’ hopes of success
QUEENSLAND trainers will rely on girl power to kickstart their winter carnival tallies in a string of races on the Gold Coast on Saturday.
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QUEENSLAND trainers will rely on girl power to kickstart their winter carnival tallies in a string of races on the Gold Coast on Saturday.
According to early markets, the fillies and mares are the best chances of a local win as the interstate invasion of the carnival builds.
The John Meagher-trained Savanna Amour is the $6 favourite for the Gold Coast Guineas at her first start since taking out the Group 2 Armanasco Stakes in Melbourne.
Syndicator Grant Morgan of Ontrack Thoroughbreds said the filly had retained a lot of residual fitness since the Melbourne trip.
“She jumped out at Doomben last week and was very good. I think she can still go to a higher level,” he said.
“She’s a Group 2 winner, now we want the Group 1 and I think this is a great starting point.”
Les Ross is desperately seeking a change of luck for Guineas rival River Racer, whose record of one win from 12 starts doesn’t do justice to her ability.
“She seems to find one better all the time,” Ross said.
“She needs a change of luck and so do I. She is as good as hands can make her.”
Kevin Kemp feels Silk Stocking contender Sold For Song is poised to go one better than she did when a fast-finishing second in last year’s Gold Coast Guineas.
“I thought her run in the Coolmore Classic was good and this is a beautiful race for her,” he said.
Chris Anderson said Elegant Composure is going well enough to win the Silk Stocking, but is wary of the class of her rivals.
“My rider said she felt like ‘a bomb’ (Friday) morning and she’s ready to go, but this is a strong race and she’s drawn a touch awkward,” he said.
Steve O’Dea’s classy filly Candika has her first test beyond a mile in Saturday’s Gold Coast Bracelet, where the barrier gods have made her task an even more difficult one.
“There’s not huge speed on paper, so I’m hoping she can jump well and be not far off them,” he said. “Obviously it would have been nicer to draw well, but that aside, I’m pretty confident she will see the 1800m out.”
O’Dea has applied blinkers for the first time on Beatniks, who runs in the PM’s Cup and feels 1400m is her best trip.
Chris Munce is shooting for week-to-week two-year-old stakes wins with Champ Elect and Helfuchi in the Ken Russell.
“Champ Elect is getting ready for longer races, but I’m hoping she might be midfield with a bit of cover and if that’s the case, I think she will be running on very strongly,” Munce said.
“This is a bit of a jump for Helfuchi, but she’s a really nice filly and I’m sure she will run a race.”
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Girls continue on their own journeys
SYNDICATOR Grant Morgan was pleased the barrier gods enabled him to keep his talented girls Savanna Amour and Girl Hussler apart as they chase more black type on Saturday.
Morgan’s Ontrack Thoroughbreds race both horses, although both race for entirely separate groups of owners.
Savanna Amour sticks to her own age in the Gold Coast Guineas, while Girl Hussler chases a maiden stakes win in the Silk Stocking.
“The name of the game is to get black type for these fillies and mares and the barriers have worked out exactly how we hoped and we can keep them apart,” Morgan said.
“Girl Sunday is a progressive mare that has taken time, as a lot of the Encosta De Lagos do. She was good last time in, but we’re hopeful she’s still got another level to go to.
“I think she’s only just maturing mentally. The query is whether 1200m is going to be a shade sharp for her. I’m just hoping she can jump well and be right on the speed. She’s a big mare at her best with room to move, so I don’t want to see her bottled up on the fence.”
Savanna Amour is already a Group 2 winner in Melbourne and Morgan is naturally hoping the John Meagher trained filly can graduate to Group 1 level during the winter.
“She retained a lot of residual fitness after Melbourne and didn’t put on a lot of condition,” he said.
“This is not her grand final day because she’s been set for the Stradbroke and Tiara, but she’s still quite forward and is drawn perfectly.
“She jumped out at Doomben last week and was very good. Like Girl Sunday, I think she can still go to a higher level.
“She’s a Group 2 winner, now we want the Group 1 and I think this is a great starting point.”
Originally published as Golden girls key to Queensland trainers’ hopes of success
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