Hussler tuned up for crack at sprint
GROUP One winner Lucky Hussler is expected to add some class to the Eye Liner Stakes at Ipswich after missing the Stradbroke Handicap.
Trainer Darren Weir originally planned to run Lucky Hussler at Doomben on Saturday and entered him for the Stradbroke and the Hinkler Stakes but elected to miss both.
Lucky Hussler is among 20 entries for Saturday’s Listed Eye Liner Stakes (1350m).
Jarrod McLean, who is looking after Weir’s horses in Queensland, said Lucky Hussler had worked well last week but it was considered a better option to miss the Stradbroke .
“We will wait for Ipswich and go to the Eye Liner with him,” he said.
Lucky Hussler has won 10 of his 49 starts, including the Group One William Reid Stakes and Group One Toorak Handicap.
He won the Waterford Crystal Mile at Moonee Valley last spring but hasn’t run since finishing sixth in the Magic Millions Cup on January 13. Weir has also entered Japanese import Danon Liberty who missed a start in the Stradbroke as the first emergency.
The premier Melbourne trainer has Tradesman among the 17 nominations in the Listed Ipswich Cup (2150m).
Tradesman finished second to the Chris Wallertrained Egg Tart in the Group Two P J O’Shea Stakes (2200m) at the Sunshine Coast on June 2.
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Ecuador is the highest rated among the Cup entries on 104.
Singapore Turf Club chief steward Peter Chadwick has been named as the new leader of Queensland’s stewards panel.
Chadwick will be replaced in Singapore by Racing Victoria’s chief steward Terry Bailey who will take up the position in July.
It had been widely tipped Chadwick would take the Queensland role and it was confirmed yesterday.
He is expected to take over from the retiring Allan Reardon on August 1, the start of the new racing season.