Toowoomba trainer John Dann believes Tukiyo is up to winter carnival standard after she kept her unbeaten record intact at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Dann said Tukiyo ($11) would have a short break from racing before she targets black-type company next preparation.
“There are some good three-year-old fillies races during the winter that should suit her so I’ll give her a few weeks off now,” he said.
“I think she’ll be even better when she can get to a mile and be ridden a little bit quieter.”
Despite being the least experienced runner in the Channel Seven Handicap, Dann rated Tukiyo’s narrow Doomben win at her first start highly enough to step the filly up in grade.
“She knocked half a second off the class record when she won at Doomben and her 600-metre sectional was the best for the day,” he said.
“Even though this was a bit of a step up I thought she was good enough to cope with it.”
Jockey Paul Hammersley praised Tukiyo’s tenacity after she was headed by Sookie soon after entering the home straight.
“Sookie well and truly headed us and I thought we’d be fighting out second but then that filly started to feel the pinch and my filly really lifted,” he said.
“To win a midweek maiden and step up to Saturday grade and beat a handy filly shows that she’s a filly with a good future.”
Meanwhile, Gold Coast trainer Kelly Doughty is non-committal about a Sunshine Coast Cup start for Morning Captain.
A heavily backed $2.30 favourite, Morning Captain fought off the challenge from runner-up Dusty Gold to win the Gallopers Sports Club Handicap (1200m).
Doughty will assess Morning Captain’s progress this week before deciding if he backs up at the Sunshine Coast next Saturday.
“It was our initial plan to run him at the Sunshine Coast but he’s had a long prep and I’ll just see how he does during the week,” she said.
“He took forever to get there today and maybe he’s looking for a little break.
“The winter carnival is our main aim with him so I don’t want to overtax him.”
