Kiwi trainer Howard Mathews is hopeful one of his rare trips across the Tasman will end on a high with Poste Restante who launches her Queensland Oaks campaign in the Group Three Rough Habit Plate at Doomben.
Mathews has been to Queensland on only four previous occasions since he started training in 1977 and landed the biggest win of his career when Coshking won the Group One Brisbane Cup (3200m) at Eagle Farm in 1989.
Mathews, who has won four Group One races, has booked Chris Munce to test Poste Restante’s credentials for next month’s Group One Queensland Oaks at Eagle Farm but will need to find another rider if the filly progresses to the 2400-metre feature.
Munce is booked to ride fellow Kiwi Miss Artistic in the Queensland Oaks following her fourth to Scorpio Queen in the Listed Gold Coast Bracelet (1800m) on Saturday.
Mathews originally planned to start Poste Restante in a Benchmark 90 race at Doomben before making a late decision to nominate her for the Saturday’s 2000-metre feature.
“She was like most horses who first come over here and didn’t eat up well for the first few days,” Mathews said.
“But she’s picked up a lot and I was so impressed with her work at Doomben on Saturday I decided to throw in a nomination for the Rough Habit.
“She’s also entered for a Benchmark race but she’ll be better suited against her own age in the Rough Habit.”
Poste Restante has won only two of her 12 starts but earned a trip to Brisbane following her fourth to Miss Artistic in the Group One New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham and her last-start second to Malandrino in the Group Three Manawatu Classic (1600m) at Awapuni in March.
“Her run in the New Zealand Oaks was outstanding,” Mathews said.
“She got a long way back and was about 25 lengths from the leader on the home turn.
“She also copped a bump on the corner and possibly should have finished third.
“If she goes well she’ll go to The Roses and then the Queensland Oaks.”
Mathews doesn’t rate Poste Restante in the same class just yet as Coshking.
“I brought Coshking across to Australia three times the year he won the Brisbane Cup,” he said.
“He went to Sydney the first time and ran second to Palace Revolt in the Sydney Cup before he went home and came back over and won the Brisbane Cup.
“Then he went home again and came back for the Melbourne Cup but he was an also-ran behind Tawrrific.”
“I doubt this filly will be around for the spring but she’ll be back next year.”
Mathews will be guided by Poste Restante’s winter form before deciding if the daughter of Postponed tackles next month’s Group One Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm.
