Soxagon on trial for the Straddie
RISING star Soxagon kicks off his winter carnival campaign at the Gold Coast today and could find himself among the nominations on Monday for the 2020 Stradbroke Handicap with a winning performance.
Soxagon had two wins and four placings from six starts last campaign and is having his first start since running second to Vega One in the $250,000 The Gateway (1400m) at Eagle Farm on December 14.
Vega One is already in the Group 1 $350,000 The Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 6 as the winner of The Gateway is exempt from the ballot.
The Tony Gollan-trained four-year-old has already franked the form with a win in the Magic Millions Cup (1400m) at the Gold Coast on January 11.
The prizemoney for The Stradbroke Handicap has been cut from $1.5 million to $350,000 after the 2020
Queensland winter carnival had to be revamped due to the coronavirus crisis and Toowoomba trainer Mark Currie is expecting Brisbane’s signature race might be a lot weaker than previous years.
“The carnival has been cut in half and they have cut back a lot of QTIS prizemoney,” Currie said.
“There was four-year-old races for his age group that had QTIS, but they have wiped all of them.
“So I am dreaming, but if all the big names don’t come from NSW and other places for the carnival because all of the money is cut, I am hoping I might get into the Stradbroke if he is going good enough.”
Currie said Soxagon had not put a hoof wrong in his preparation for his return and has performed well in two jumpouts. “He is fit and healthy and he will have no excuses (today),” Currie said.
“He has had two jumpouts. He won his first one and he ran second in his next one.”
Gold Coast jockey Luke
Dittman will have his first ride on Soxagon who has drawn barrier seven in the 12horse field for the Aquis Class 6 Handicap (1200m).
Soxagon has only been to the races on 12 occasions and has risen quickly up through the ranks with three wins and five placings and Currie can see him making further improvement this preparation.
“Last prep he came from a Class 1 horse to The Gateway and ran second in that and he probably should have won another couple going through there,” he said.