READY TO STRUT IT
LLOYD BACK ON FILLY
DARKTOWN Strutter is by far the youngest in the field but, with one of the most experienced hoops in Jeff Lloyd in the saddle, trainer Kelly Schweida says the filly can continue her success at the Gold Coast.
The three-year-old is chasing a fourth straight win at Aquis Park, where she is undefeated, in today’s Benchmark 75 Handicap (900m).
The daughter of I Am Invincible has won four of her eight starts but despite her Coast form is yet to win in Brisbane.
Darktown Strutter battled to finish eighth against more experienced rivals at her last start at Doomben after jumping wide from barrier 10.
She will face equally mature horses in today’s metropolitan meeting at the Gold Coast Turf Club where all but Tycoon Zip – trained by Toowoomba’s Shane Smith – are aged five or over.
“She is looking pretty good,” the Brisbane-based Schweida said.
“She was a three-year-old against a couple of hard heads last time and it can be a bit hard but she is all good.
“She has drawn an outside gate (7) which is normal. She ran OK last time, they worked a bit early and she was OK without going overboard.”
Schweida said he expected a better result with premier jockey Lloyd riding her at the track she has a strong affinity for .
“She likes the Gold Coast even though she has only been there three times,” Schweida said. “She has a good record there and an awkward draw, so they will probably drive forward beside her, but I have got the right jockey on.”
Lloyd has ridden Darktown Strutter just once for her maiden win at Ipswich.
Darktown Strutter will be up against the likes of sevenyear-old Squeemi, who has won her past three races and will jump from barrier one.