Trainer David Kelly will set promising galloper Hi Son one more test before a possible feature race campaign.
The Gold Coast-based Kelly has been adamant for months that Hi Son could prove a top class galloper once he got to distances further than 2000m.
Hi Son took the first step in proving that when he came from last to win the Makers Mark Open (2120m) at Doomben on Saturday.
“We are keen to step him up to 2200 metres to get a real idea of how much of a stayer he will prove. Then we can go from there and look at for bigger things,” Kelly said.
However, Brisbane’s race programming has set Kelly something of a problem because the next open company 2200m isn’t until the Tattersall’s meeting on March 1.
Kelly may have to look at other options but long range the Brisbane winter staying races are on the radar.
Meanwhile, promising galloper Carmora will have a gear change when he returns from a break for the winter.
Carmora was beaten a head when second in the Bottlemart Hcp (1620m) at Doomben on Saturday.
Both trainer Desleigh Forster and jockey Chris Munce thought the fact Carmora was wearing blinkers had contributed to his defeat.
“He will have a three weeks break and then come back for the early winter but we will be getting rid of the blinkers,” Forster said.
“I think I will probably put a visor on him instead,” Forster said.
Munce said Carmora had not been able to see the other horses coming at him in the straight and had relaxed.
“Once the winner (Trakstar) got to him he switched back on but it was too late,” Munce said.
Trakstar’s win took trainer Tony Gollan to 26 wins for the sesason and kept him in a three-way battle for the Brisbane premiership with Matt Dunn and Rob Heathcote.
Dunn (30) and Heathcote (27.5) both trained winners at Doomben on Saturday to keep the status quo in place.
