Isotope homes in on ideal race
TONY Gollan will launch a two-state attack with three of his best horses this weekend as he looks to get a gauge of his winter carnival prospects.
The champion trainer has Zoustyle (The Galaxy), Nettuno (Darby Munro) and Isotope (Birthday Card Stakes) nominated for Rosehill on Saturday.
However, Isotope is likely to stay in Brisbane for a race in which she will be one of the best-placed horses in the country on Saturday.
With a clearing forecast in Brisbane, Gollan said he was likely to kick off what could be Isotope’s final campaign in the Military Rose Plate (1100m) at set weights against fillies and mares at Doomben.
The mare’s triple-figure rating monsters all rivals in the field but the set-weights and penalties conditions mean she will carry just 56.5kg.
“We have the (winter carnival’s Group 1) Tatts Tiara in mind for her, but we are kicking her off this weekend down in grade at a track that she likes in Doomben,” Gollan said. “Whether we head to a race at The Championships (in Sydney) after this or back off her and get her ready for the winter, we will see.
“It is most likely her last prep, but that will be guided by how she goes this time around.”
Leading jockey Jimmy Orman has been booked to ride Isotope.
Gollan has been forced into a rider switch after the inclusion of Eduardo in the Group 1 The Galaxy (1100m) skewered the handicap.
Ryan Maloney had been booked to ride Zoustyle in the scamper, but it is now expected the Brisbane speed machine will be allotted 53kg as a result of Eduardo’s top weight, making it unreachable for Maloney.
“At this stage Sam Clipperton will ride a half-kilo over; he can have a spin around on him later in the week,” Gollan said.
Zoustyle will look to turn the tables on fellow Brisbane horse Uncommon James in The Galaxy after their Group 1 Oakleigh Plate clash in Melbourne on February 25.
Uncommon James won the race and Zoustyle was 1.45 lengths behind in fifth place.
“He is rated better so we meet him (Uncommon James) better at the weights and hopefully we can rate him better than we did in the run last time,” Gollan said.
“It was probably misjudged a touch. He went quite quick through those early stages when he probably didn’t need to. It made him a bit vulnerable late.
“At one stage he was leading by four or five lengths and was only beaten 1.4. He has run the race of his life.”