Inside Running: Blue team holds cards in Stradbroke
Godolphin holds the key to Saturday’s group 1 Stradbroke Handicap with four key chances in the race including reigning champion Trekking.
The star sprinter has had a 12-month campaign to remember, starting with a win in this race last year.
John Allen steers Trekking to victory in The Goodwood at Morphettville.Credit:AAP
He went on to win the Schillaci at Caulfield in the spring, earning him a ticket into the $14 million Everest where he ran third.
He then solidified his group 1 standing with a win in last month’s Goodwood Handicap. But he’ll carry the weight in Saturday’s handicap - his 58 kilograms is 2.5kg more than his second-rated stablemate Kementari.
Godolphin is also represented by Ranier and Exhilarates, however Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott’s colt Dawn Passage holds favouritism for the race after last week’s Fred Best Classic win.
Feature for juveniles
The group 1 JJ Atkins for two-year-olds is set to be highly anticipated at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Robert Heathcote’s Rothfire is all the rage at $3.90, having won five of his six career starts.
But the son of Rothesay will have to overcome barrier 13 in a field of 18 if emergencies are removed from the acceptances.
Group 3 winner Wisdom Of Water is also held safely in the market by bookmakers at $6.50 having come through different form lines in Queensland.
Rothfire proved too good in the Champagne Classic at Eagle Farm.Credit:Racing Queensland
The Trent and Toby Edmonds’-trained colt has won his past two races at the Gold Coast, both as $1.30 favourite, and ran fourth to Away Game in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic in January.
Melbourne racing
Last-start winner Iconoclasm is the highest-rated runner on Saturday’s Flemington card, where he’ll carry top weight in the 1400m VRC Heritage Handicap.
Also in the $100,000 race is Peter Gelagotis’ Moss ‘N’ Dale who hasn’t raced since November, and a five-year-old gelding import owned by Lloyd Williams named Kenya, who will make his debut for Anthony Freedman.
The son of Galileo last raced at Newmarket in the UK in an 1800m handicap in September 2018, and the start prior he finished second in a group 2 at Leopardstown in Ireland over a mile.
Earlier on the card, the Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra-trained Prezado is looking for his third win on the trot down the Flemington straight.