Godolphin’s four-pronged attack on Straddie
THE field for next week’s Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap was whittled down from 100 to 44 yesterday, with last year’s winning trainer James Cummings having four runners left in contention.
The Cummings trio Trekking (Michael Cahill), Kementari (Ryan Maloney) and Ranier (Larry Cassidy) are all safely within the field limit.
Last year’s Magic Millions winner Exhilarates landed 17th in the ballot after yesterday’s first acceptors but could still be ousted from the final field of 18, with two spots up for grabs in Saturday’s Fred Best Classic and Helen Coughlan Stakes.
If Exhilarates does make the field, it will be a big chance for Taylor Marshall, who has been booked for the filly, who has been allotted 49.5kg.
Marshall’s manager Mitch Speers said the jockey would make the impost without having to shed a lot of weight.
Regardless of whether Exhilarates is assured a start or not, Godolphin manager Vin Cox said Cummings was committed to a start in the Fred Best Classic.
Cox said they were following the same program as last year when she backed up to win the Magic Millions seven days after her final lead-up.
Last year’s Stradbroke winner Trekking has done well since arriving in Brisbane and is the new 58kg topweight for the race after Santa Ana Lane dropped out yesterday.
In contrast to Exhilarates, Peter Snowden has declared Hightail would not be a runner in the Fred Best after he landed 15th in the order yesterday, assuring him of a start.
Hightail won the Gold Coast Guineas on May 16.