Roi D’Jeu will have an in-form Eddie Wilkinson in the saddle should trainer Craig Ritchie decide on a Queen’s Cup start for the stayer at Eagle Farm.
Ritchie has booked Wilkinson but was still undecided whether Roi D’Jeu would line up in Saturday’s Listed 3200m contest after the gelding disappointed in the Caloundra Cup (2400m) last weekend.
“What we’ve done is taken some blood today and we’re waiting for the results to come back,” Ritchie said.
Acceptances will be taken on Wednesday.
Ritchie’s wife remained in Queensland with Roi D’Jeu after his Caloundra Cup fifth placing but the trainer said the gelding appeared to have recovered well.
“What I’ll probably do, if his blood comes back 100 per cent and we’re happy with him in the morning I’ll probably accept and then fly up on Thursday and go over the horse myself,” Ritchie said.
“If I’m very happy and everything seems in order he’ll go around, but if there’s any doubts at all about the horse not being at his best then we’ll stop at any stage.”
Roi D’Jeu has raced three times over the gruelling 3200m journey including a gallant second on heavy ground behind Adroitly in the Stayers Cup at Rosehill last month.
Ritchie said that effort, combined with a trip to Queensland, could have played a part in his Caloundra Cup performance where he was beaten 15 lengths by the Wilkinson-ridden Shenzhou Steeds on heavy ground.
“He definitely raced below his best,” Ritchie said.
Ritchie’s original plan was to run Roi D’Jeu in the Stayers Cup and then the Queen’s Cup.
However, when realising the Caloundra Cup was going to be run on heavy ground he decided to change tack.
Wilkinson won the Caloundra Cup and also the Ipswich Cup on the Mike Moroney-trained Shenzhou Steeds.
Ritchie and Wilkinson are no strangers to Queen’s Cup success.
“He won the race for me a couple of years ago on Solid Billing,” Ritchie said.
Booming heads weights for the Queen’s Cup on 59kg with Roi D’Jeu on the limit of 54kg.
