The Queensland Guineas is the likely winter carnival goal for Proverb after his runaway win in the Gunsynd Classic (1600m) at Doomben on Saturday.
Paul Reid, representing trainer Peter Snowden, said staying assignments were off the table for Proverb, which was likely to be kept to shorter races in Brisbane.
“I think the mile is as far as he wants to go,” Reid said.
“We’ve tried him over 2000 metres twice and even though he won the first attempt, he didn’t find the line as well in the Tulloch Stakes a few weeks ago.”
Jockey Josh Parr was confident Proverb ($2.50 fav) had his rivals covered when he improved quickly into a challenging position on the home turn.
“We thought we had the best horse in the race, so I rode him positively and about 1000 metres out I was able to pop out three deep with some cover and get a nice cart into the race,” he said.
“I did that to take the bad luck out of play and he produced his best today.”
Parr said the key to Proverb’s win was his ability to relax when the pace slackened mid-race.
“Things were a bit rough and ready early and he had an opportunity to get over-racing, but to his credit he showed his professionalism,” he said.
Earlier, Margins emerged as a Brisbane Cup contender following his impressive win in the Tails Stakes (2100m).
Trainer Ben Currie nursed Margins back to health after the gelding’s career was interrupted by injury in the past year.
“He was beaten a nose in last year’s Rough Habit and that was the start of the problems,” Currie said.
“In his next preparation he had an issue and only had two runs before he had to have six months off.”
Currie said Margins was now injury-free and likely to follow the traditional path for stayers during the winter carnival leading up to the Brisbane Cup (2400m) at Eagle Farm on June 8.
“There’s still a while to go yet and he’ll still have to win another race along the way to be a serious contender, but you’ve got to have a goal,” he said.
