The weather gods have done their best to prevent us from racing in Brisbane this week including trying to put a damper on Saturday’s metropolitan meeting, but thankfully this track drains incredibly well, and there is nothing that will prevent me from providing you with a Saturday Eagle Farm preview!
Unfortunately, solid rain on Wednesday and forecasted possible showers for the rest of the week will see the track rain-affected, to what degree remains to be seen.
My best bet comes up in race 8 where I think a Sydney visitor is extremely well weighted and can deliver us the bread.
So, grab a coffee or an ice cold beverage and check out my Eagle Farm preview below.
Thee Creek (1) is eligible for a Maiden but presents well for this Saturday QTIS Two-Year-Old Handicap.
The Peter & Will Hulbert-trained Better Than Ready colt was no match for Dubious but ran well to finish two lengths second over 1110m at Doomben on debut.
He then defied a big price to finish strongly in the QTIS 2YO Jewel at the Gold Coast last start where he finished three lengths fourth.
He’ll strip fitter third-up and should enjoy the rise in trip.
Mark Du Plessis sticks and should be able to negate the wider barrier and settle in a forward position.
1 Unit – Thee Creek (1)
Fioprospero (3) ventured north from Sydney last start and demonstrated once again that New South Wales form is hard to beat.
The Matthew Smith-trained gelding settled in the second last pair over this course and distance before saving ground on the turn and letting down powerfully to win by 1.3 lengths.
He’ll strip fitter third-up and will remain at the same weight with Bailey Wheeler again in the irons.
He’s drawn to get an economical run and I wouldn’t be surprised if Wheeler settles a touch closer with the lack of speed.
1 Unit – Fioprospero (3)
Outburst (2) has been up since September but has been managed expertly by Mick Lakey and continues to race well.
That was never more evident than last start when the Real Impact gelding settled a long way back over this course and distance before rounding them up and running past them in the straight for a neck win.
Emily Lang, who claims 1.5kg, has built a great relationship with the horse and remains in the saddle.
He has a good record on rain-affected tracks and maps to get a nice run.
1 Unit Each Way – Outburst (2)
Imatruestar (6) has been in excellent form since arriving in Brisbane and joining Lawrie Mayfield-Smith’s stable.
The Star Turn gelding was beaten by a half-length in his first Brisbane race three starts ago before proving too strong two runs back over 1600m here.
He was a touch unlucky not to win last start over 1400m here when held up a touch before charging late to finish a head second to Space Tracker.
While he’s never won on a rain-affected track, he has placed on seven occasions which were in arguably harder jurisdiction races.
1 Unit – Imatruestar (6)
That’s Molly (4) is another horse that has gone to another level since joining the Lawrie Mayfield-Smith stable and shapes as one of the better bets in my Eagle Farm preview.
Three starts back she produced a devastating turn of foot to run down Anemacore to win over a mile at Doomben.
The six-year-old mare had no luck when held up two starts ago but bounced back to winning form last start with an impressive display to savage the line and win over 1800m at the Gold Coast.
There should be good speed in the race which will aid her cause and she’s proven to be adept on rain-affected tracks.
2 Units – That’s Molly (4)
Avone (8) looks ready to pick up where she left off last preparation following two excellent trials.
The Tony & Maddy Sears-trained mare looked in another class when easily winning a Warwick trial before cruising around in her latest piece of work with the talented Far Too Easy.
She ended last preparation with back-to-back wins at the Sunshine Coast and at Doomben, both over this distance.
She loves the sting out of the track and should settle in a forward position from the good gate for Courtney Bellamy who claims 3kg.
1 Unit – Avone (8)
Shihab (9) was backed off the map last start over 1400m at the Gold Coast and duly saluted for his backers.
The Lawrie Mayfield-Smith-trained gelding (yes, I’m all over the stable today!) settled back before taking a tight gap in the straight and exploding to the line to win by 1.5 lengths.
The son of Zoustar is racing in great form and does his best work on rain-affected tracks having won three of five in heavy going.
Robbie Dolan will settle back from the barrier, but a solid speed should be to his benefit.
1 Unit Each Way – Shihab (9)
Rhythm Of Love (15) returns to the races for the first time since finishing 4.6 lengths tenth in the G3 Silver Eagle in October.
The O’Shea & Charlton-trained son of Grunt has had three trials this time in work so should have a terrific level of fitness and he does race well fresh having won his past two first-up races.
He’s won on rain-affected tracks before and he ran a super race in his only previous Queensland race which was last year’s G3 Fred Best Classic where despite a torrid run, he fought gamely to finish a half-length second.
Andrew Mallyon can give the extremely well weighted gelding the run of the race and hopefully deliver as our Eagle Farm preview best bet.
2 Units – Rhythm Of Love (15)
Yabby Pump (8) returned in great order at Hawkesbury against older horses last start with a win.
The Richard & Will Freedman-trained gelding found the line powerfully to win the 1300m contest by half a length and given he is now a month between runs, I don’t mind the drop back to 1200m.
The lightly raced son of Castelvecchio will strip fitter and won his only previous second-up race which was over 1400m at Newcastle.
He’ll appreciate returning to his own age and maps to get a great run on speed.
1 Unit – Yabby Pump (8)
Comrade Rosa (1) returns to the races for the first time since a Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival campaign that saw her finish third in the Listed Paris Lane Stakes.
The Tony Gollan-trained mare is the best horse in the race and that class will take her a long way first-up.
She loves Eagle Farm having won four of nine races here including the Listed Helen Coughlan Stakes over this distance and the G2 Dane Ripper Stakes.
There’s plenty of speed engaged which should see Ryan Maloney a nice run off the speed before letting her off the leash in the straight.
1 Unit Each Way – Comrade Rosa (1)