The Queensland Summer Racing Carnival moves to Doomben this Saturday for Tattersall’s Classic Day.
The ten-race card is highlighted by two Listed races, the Recognition Stakes and the Tattersall’s Classic.
Unfortunately, rain throughout the week will see the track in the Heavy range.
We’ve scoured the form and have provided our top picks to handle the conditions below.
MILESTONE (8) is on debut following a very nice trial win at the Sunshine Coast. The James Healey-trained Whittington filly showed good speed to lead in the heavy conditions before extending her lead under own steam to put 5.3 lengths on her rivals. She’s drawn nicely in barrier 3 which should see top jockey Jimmy Orman give her a great run on speed.
EVOCATOR (3) is on the quick back-up following a very good effort over 1600m on a heavy Sunshine Coast track last start. The Barry Lockwood-trained gelding settled back and found the line strongly in the fastest final 600m of the race to finish 1.2 lengths third to Aerial Dancer. While his last win came in March this year, the wet track gives him an excellent chance to break the drought given he’s won twice and placed twice in five heavy races and his opposition is limited in the wet. Jimmy Orman is a key booking and a good indicator of Lockwood’s confidence.
NAVAL SEAL (10) has raced well in his two starts since coming north. The Chris Waller-trained son of Snitzel found the line strongly two starts back over 1830m at Eagle Farm to finish a close third before finishing 2.8 lengths second to Kerchak last start who franked the form by winning the Mooloolaba Cup at his next start. He has good wet track form including a 5.5 length romp to break his maiden at Ballarat over this distance. He’s at peak fitness and looks well placed in this field.
FLEUR DE MONDE (1) looks well placed here based on her last start effort over this distance at Eagle Farm. The Chris Waller-trained mare returned to her best when running on strongly to win by a half-length and defeat Nikau Spur who subsequently won the Listed Beauford at Newcastle last Saturday. She races well on rain-affected tracks and did win over a mile on a heavy track here this time last year. With her getting up in the weights, Cody Collis’ 2kg claim comes in very handy.
SULTRY SIREN (12) has raced well since joining Rob Heathcote’s stable this preparation. The daughter of Snitzel won narrowly first-up over 1110m here before putting up a good fight to finish second two starts back. She enjoyed getting her toe in the ground last start when storming home to win by a length over this course and distance. She’s at peak fitness now, loves Doomben and gets top jockey Ryan Maloney in the irons.
TYPHOON TAAVI (2) returns to the races for the first time since finishing 2.9 lengths seventh in the Listed Gai Waterhouse Classic in June. The Tony Gollan-trained mare has had two trials in preparation for this so should be ready for a strong showing. Last preparation she won three in a row with bold front running rides by apprentice Tahlia Fenlon and she is again in the saddle. While it has been some time, she has won on a heavy track before.
NAVYONTHEHIGHWAY (7) returns home after putting up a brave fight to finish three lengths fourth in the G2 Hot Danish Stakes at Rosehill. The Chris & Corey Munce-trained mare was low flying before that and had won two in a row to open her campaign in style. Two starts back she controlled the race to win easily by 1.3 lengths over this course and distance. The outside barrier isn’t ideal, but she has the early speed to cross and find the front.
BUBBA’S BAY (2) loves racing in Queensland with eight of her ten wins coming in the Sunshine State. The Kris Lees-trained mare continued her hot run three starts back over 1110m here where she proved too strong before leading from barrier to box over 1200m at Eagle Farm for an easy 1.8 length win. She added ‘black-type winner’ to her CV last start when proving too classy in the Listed Keith Noud Quality. She’s won four from four over the course and distance and has performed well on rain-affected tracks in the past.
BOSSED UP (12) resumes here from an eight-week let up and does his best work when fresh. The Tony Gollan-trained gelding bombed the start last start when resuming from a decent break at Toowoomba on a heavy deck but circled the field and let down powerfully to finish a head third. Surprisingly he’s never raced at Doomben but he has won over this distance before. He carried 60kg last start but drops to just 55.5kg here with Kyle Wilson-Taylor taking the ride.
METALART (2) will need to overcome a wide barrier just as he tried to do last start over this course and distance. The Kelly Schweida-trained son of Better Than Ready worked early from the outside to find the front before fighting strongly to finish a length second. He’s at peak fitness now and did win fourth-up last preparation. Champion jockey Michael Rodd is back in the saddle and is undefeated in four previous rides on him.