QTC Cyp 2016: Trubia has to beat rain and rivals for Straddie slot

MICHAEL Lakey is hoping the grim Brisbane weather forecast on Saturday doesn’t rob Trubia of his chance to qualify for the Stradbroke Handicap.

MICHAEL Lakey is hoping the grim Brisbane weather forecast on Saturday does not rob Trubia of his chance to qualify for the Stradbroke Handicap.

Unless there are unexpected Stradbroke withdrawals, Trubia needs to win Saturday’s QTC Cup (1300m) at Eagle Farm to get a gold pass into next week’s rich sprint.

However with the diabolic forecast casting doubt over whether the Eagle Farm program will go ahead, there is a chance the sprinter will not even get a crack at the last-chance saloon race.

Just like Brisbane racing officials, Lakey will on Saturday morning be sweating on the rain staying away.

“I’d say we would need to win this race to get in the Straddie, and we would need to run a great race to even warrant paying up for the Straddie,” Lakey said.

“If we win the QTC Cup, we would definitely be heading to the Straddie.

“Trubia is such a big, gross horse that I think the one-week back-up into the Straddie would work in his favour.’’

Hulking stallion Trubia has a good record on soft tracks, winning two from three.

But he is untried on heavy tracks and Lakey admits he is in the dark about how the sprinter would handle an Eagle Farm bog.

Trubia has a good record on soft tracks, winning two from three. Picture: Grant Peters, Trackside Photography

“There is a bit of a question mark about how he goes on a heavy track,’’ Lakey said.

“Some jockeys have indicated to me in the past that he might not get through rain-affected ground all that well.

“It is a bit of an unknown for us but there would be plenty of other (QTC Cup) horses in the same boat.

“I do think he is in very good form.

“His run in the BRC Sprint (fourth behind Snippets Land) was certainly a pass mark considering he didn’t jump away all that well.’’

Bobby El-Issa, who has beaten the odds of acute myeloid leukaemia to return to the saddle, will ride Trubia on Saturday.

El-Issa will also snare the Stradbroke ride if Trubia forces his way into Queensland’s richest race.

Originally published as QTC Cyp 2016: Trubia has to beat rain and rivals for Straddie slot