This Saturday’s Eagle Farm meeting will see Proven Thoroughbreds and Steve O’Dea Racing attempt to win Brisbane’s first two-year-old race of the season for the second year running.
Twelve months ago it was GOTTA KISS who trounced her rivals on debut before progressing to a Group 1 second placing behind ROTHFIRE in the JJ Atkins in June.
Coincidentally, Proven’s latest runner in the race is another chestnut filly reared at Yarraman Park, named STELLAR MAGIC (pictured).
She is by first-season sire STAR TURN and turned heads at the Doomben trials earlier this month with a slashing second.
STELLAR MAGIC’s owners, some of whom also race GOTTA KISS, will no doubt be hoping lightning strikes twice!
Five other runners are set to step out for Proven in the week ahead, including the Joe Pride-trained INVINCIANO. A last start runner-up at Warwick Farm, the daughter of I AM INVINCIBLE looks poised to go one better at Randwick’s Kensington meeting on Wednesday.
BLACKBOOKER
TRIP THE LIGHT loomed up to win fresh at the Sunshine Coast last Sunday but was run over late, finishing 1.3 lengths astern of the winner. That was her first run in almost six months so it’s likely she just knocked up over the concluding stages of the race. She’s placed in three of her four runs to date and with natural improvement, can see her going close to breaking her maiden next start.
Upcoming Proven Thoroughbreds runners:
Randwick-Kensington Wednesday September 30
BM72 Handicap 1300m:
SNIPPY FOX
Joe Pride/Tom Sherry (a3)
Comment: Never a threat at Warwick Farm last start but form prior was good, winning at Kembla Grange and finishing a narrow second at Wyong. Capable bouncing back with a 3kg claimer aboard.
BM72 Handicap 1400m:
INVINCIANO
Joe Pride/Brenton Avdulla
Comment: Returned from a freshen-up at Warwick Farm and was excellent in running second behind a smart one. She was in need of the run that day so will be much improved for this assignment.
Gold Coast Wednesday September 30
BM72 Handicap 1800m:
MISSED THE ALARM
Steve O’Dea/Stephanie Thornton
Comment: Held up in the straight and cruelly missed by the barest of margins last outing. Has previously won twice here and looks well placed in this company.
Wyong Thursday October 1:
CG&E Maiden Handicap 1200m
MACCOMO
Joe Pride/Robbie Dolan
Comment: Sent to Canberra last start in search of his first kill but performed below expectations, finishing fourth, beaten just over three lengths. Found himself in a sit and sprint affair there which probably didn’t suit and his run prior here was excellent when second over 1100m.
Gold Coast Saturday October 3
QTIS 3YO Maiden Handicap 1100m:
BETTER GET SET
Steve O’Dea/Anthony Allen
Comment: Won a trial at Doomben earlier this month and has shown enough in her three starts to date to suggest she will be a winning chance here.
Eagle Farm Saturday October 3
QTIS 2YO Maiden Plate 1000m:
STELLAR MAGIC
Steve O’Dea/Ben Thompson
Comment: Trialled like a good horse at Doomben last week, coming from back in the field to finish a close-up second. Form from that trial has been franked with the third placegetter since winning a heat by four lengths in sharp time.