EAGLE ROCK COAST TRAINER’S BIG TRACK HOPES
GOLD Coast trainer Toby Edmonds has left nothing to chance ahead of the Group 1 double header at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Edmonds took the opportunity to give his J.J. Atkins aspirants Wisdom Of Water ($5.50) and The Drinks Cart ($17) another look at the track on Saturday morning.
The pair galloped separately, pleasing their co-trainer, who firmly believes experience on the new Eagle Farm turf is an important factor for how horses perform at the venue.
“Our horses were struggling there for quite a while,” he told Radio TAB’s Past The Post.
“It’s a different type of grass they need to get used to. It’s not kikuyu, they seem to spring over it.
“I just felt it was beneficial for both horses, especially young horses, to go there, have a nice gallop and get their foot into it.
“They both handled it quite well. They ran great time and I was really happy with the way both of them went and they are on track to run well.”
This Saturday presents
Edmonds and his co-trainer son Trent their best opportunity to win a Group 1 race.
In addition to the two J.J. Atkins runners, they have Tyzone ($12) and Winter Bride ($51) running in the Stradbroke Handicap.
“Tyzone has been targeted at this race for 12 months and he looks to be hitting his straps at the right time,” Edmonds said.
“His last two runs have been super. I loved his run at Eagle Farm the other day and he drops to 52.5kg. With that weight relief, he’s going to be in the finish I feel.”
Edmonds will put ear muffs back on Winter Bride in an endeavour to ride her more quietly than when she led before finishing sixth to Victorem in the Victory Stakes (1200m) at Doomben on May 23.
“We will put the headgear back on and I think you will find she will finish off strongly. She gets her chance to figure in another Group 1,” he said.
Winter Bride went close to giving Edmonds his first Group 1 winner when she was narrowly beaten into second place by Julius in the Railway Stakes at Ellerslie in New Zealand on January 1.