Azkadellia warms up for winter carnival in Brisbane while her rivals are nowhere to be seen

THANK heavens for Azkadellia. The star of the Queensland Winter Carnival stretched out at Doomben yesterday morning while all her Group 1 rivals were nowhere to be seen in Brisbane.

THANK heavens for Azkadellia.

The star of the Queensland Winter Carnival stretched out at Doomben yesterday morning while all her Group 1 rivals were nowhere to be seen in Brisbane.

That’s mainly because of a shortage of available stable boxes in Brisbane, with powerful southern trainers choosing to base their Carnival horses on the Gold or Sunshine coasts.

John O’Shea’s blue army of Godolphin horses and the all-conquering Chris Waller team, as well as Peter and Paul Snowden, are keeping their horses on the Gold Coast.

Darren Weir and Mike Moroney horses are on the Sunshine Coast, with confirmed sightings of Group 1 Carnival horses at early morning midweek Doomben trackwork almost as rare as Halley’s Comet.

The fact that Eagle Farm has been a construction zone has also convinced visiting trainers to stable their horses on the coasts, where they can have a much quieter preparation for big races.

It should be different next year, after construction of 400 new world-class stables on the infield at Eagle Farm.

Azkadellia stretched out at Doomben yesterday. Picture: Darren England.

But star filly Azkadellia was the only Doomben 10,000 contender to have a spin around the track yesterday.

Organisers of the traditional Breakfast With The Stars in Stradbroke week should be worried as there will be precious little star power, with most coast-based interstate horses unlikely to make the trip to Brisbane apart from race day.

None of this worries Victorian trainer Ciaron Maher, who confirmed Doomben 10,000 favourite Azkadellia would line up in the field.

‘‘She worked well this morning,” he said.

Mark Zahra has been booked to ride Azkadellia in the 10,000, replacing the suspended Damien Oliver who was aboard for her last-start win in the Queen Of The Turf Stakes. Melbourne rider Nick Hall was then booked to ride the mare but was suspended for careless riding, leaving the way for Zahra to step in.

Azkadellia is favourite to do what no other horse has done for 28 years – win the 10,000-Stradbroke double. Campaign King was the last horse to complete the double in 1988.

“Azkadellia is receiving strong support in both races,” sportsbet.com.au’s Christian Jantzen said.

“Campaign King was a superstar sprinter and we don’t think Azkadellia is in his league, but the quality for both races is down this year.”

Originally published as Azkadellia warms up for winter carnival in Brisbane while her rivals are nowhere to be seen