Bonus lures Sinner
TRAINER Natalie McCall has taken the softer option and will head to the Gold Coast today with last-start winner The Sinner in search of more QTIS bonus prizemoney in the Aquis QTIS 3YO Handicap (1400m).
The Sinner was also an acceptor for the Group 3 $125,000 Fred Best Classic (1350m) at Doomben tomorrow but McCall said that with the QTIS bonuses on offer, the Gold Coast race was nearly on par and a much easier assignment.
The Classic is worth $72,500 to the winner while the Gold Coast race is $61,100, including a $24,500 QTIS bonus.
“It was a really good field on Saturday at set weights for not a lot more money,” the Sunshine Coast trainer said.
“So it makes more sense to go to the Coast.”
The Sinner is the winner of four of his 12 starts and has already collected $47,300 in QTIS bonuses to date, including $24,500 from his last-start win in the QTIS 3YO Handicap (1400m) at the Sunshine Coast two weeks ago.
“He has been very unlucky this time in so it was good to see a few breaks go his way,” McCall said. “It was a nice win against a pretty strong field. He will have to be a good chance (today).”
The Sinner has drawn nicely at barrier 3 in the 14horse field but McCall said the 59.5kg top weight could be the major hurdle.
McCall had planned to engage 2kg-claiming apprentice Adin Thompson, but when he became unavailable, she went with Gold Coast senior rider Ryan Maloney.
“It (the weight) always is a concern. We had originally planned for Adin Thompson to ride him but he had to go back to Caloundra (tonight) for his boss to ride in the third race and the times just didn’t work out so we have gone with Ryan,” McCall said.
McCall will also saddle up Valario in the BenchMark 85 Handicap (1200m) for the Colts, Geldings and Entires and is looking forward to a better performance with the blinkers going back on.
Valario was a tidy first-up winner in a 1200m Handicap at Eagle Farm but McCall admitted the four-year-old had been unimpressive at his past two unplaced runs at Doomben and the Sunshine Coast.
“He has a good record but his last two runs have been a bit disappointing so we have put the blinkers on,” she said.
“Hopefully that switches him back on. He is a pretty talented horse on his day.
“He won nicely first-up so hopefully the blinkers make a difference.”
Valario, the winner of six of his 14 starts, will jump from gate 3 in the small field with 2kg-claiming apprentice Jackson Murphy in the saddle.