The Monstar could be off to Sydney if he races well in his Doomben debut.
The five-year-old was an impressive last-start winner at the Sunshine Coast and trainer Brett Cavanough toyed with running him in last week’s Ramornie Handicap at Grafton.
But he decided to miss Grafton and start The Monstar in the Tattersall’s Open (1110m) on Saturday.
“The Monstar ran good time at the Sunshine Coast and his final sectional was the second best of the day. But I wanted to give him time to get over the run and Doomben was the better idea,” Cavanough said.
He said his options in Brisbane could be limited if The Monstar won or ran well on Saturday.
“We were expecting to get 58 kilograms and got 59 which he can handle. But there doesn’t look like there is much left for him after that,” Cavanough said.
“I could take him to Sydney for a Listed race but we will have to see how he goes on Saturday before making a final decision.
“The other option is to stay here and use an apprentice’s claim but he really isn’t a kid’s horse.”
Toowoomba jockey Skye Bogenhuber retains the ride.
“She rides a lot of work for me and she suits The Monstar. A lot of the pretty boy jockeys stop riding him when he wants to hang in but Skye stands over him,” Cavanough said.
The Monstar has raced in three states and won eight races.
“He deserves a crack at another stakes race and there are plenty coming up in Sydney,” Cavanough said.
The Albury trainer has been campaigning from Toowoomba during the winter while he waits for new stables to be built at Scone.
