New path for sprinter Entriviere
AUCKLAND: A surprise change of direction will see Kiwi sprinting star Entriviere take her place in Saturday’s $A700,000 ($NZ764,745) KingsfordSmith Cup in Brisbane on Saturday but trainer Mark Walker says it has nothing to do with his stable losing Sword Of State for the group 1.
Entriviere set tongues wagging with her stunning third in the Doomben 10,000 at her last start 11 days ago and was originally set to miss this Saturday’s race and head straight to the $A1.5 million Stradbroke at Eagle Farm on June 11.
Walker had a great backup in Sword Of State being aimed at the KingsfordSmith as an ideal Australian group 1 race to end his career before heading to stud, but that plan fell apart last week when the entire got an infection which needed treatment, ruling him out of the race and into retirement.
Rather than Entriviere sliding in as the stable replacement for Sword Of State, Walker says the change comes about because of the horrid Queensland weather and the mare’s weight of 55.5kg for the Stradbroke.
‘‘It was a combination of both the weight and the weather, but we didn’t think she would get 55.5kg in the Straddy — not when you think Tofane only got 54kg last year.
‘‘We think that weight will make it really hard to win the Stradbroke so we want to give her the group 1 opportunity this week.
‘‘The other thing is the weather. The training tracks are so waterlogged over there at the moment we don’t know what shape we will be able to keep her in for the next two and ahalf weeks.
‘‘But at the moment we know she is really well and feeling good and she has actually put on 5kg since she ran third last start,’’ he said.
‘‘And of course if she races well this weekend there is no reason she can’t also go to the Stradbroke.’’
Entriviere’s poor run with draws continued as she was handed barrier 17 for the KingsfordSmith Cup but with five emergencies drawn inside her she is set to start from barrier 12 for Opie Bosson.
Another positive sign for Walker and most of the other Kiwi trainers in Queensland is the forecast for the back end of this week when the rain, which has been relentless, is forecast to stop.
The Eagle Farm track could even return to the soft range rather than heavy.
The three Kiwitrained horses it will probably aid most are Queensland Derby contenders Dark Destroyer, Tutukaka and Pinarello, who received some other good new yesterday.
The leading Australian hope in the derby and equal favourite Algeron will now miss the classic after trainer James Cummings could not get him a plane to Queensland, so that leaves Matamata 3yrold Dark Destroyer as the clear favourite. —