Free-wheeling gelding Flamboyer’s interstate trip has been put on hold but he is still in line to play a role in the southern spring carnival.
Trainer Kelly Doughty entered Flamboyer for the Open Hcp (1400m) at Eagle Farm and the Spring Preview (1400m) at Rosehill on Saturday but elected to stay in Brisbane.
“At this stage he looks better suited here than in Sydney. He has a good record at 1400 metres around Eagle Farm having won twice at the track and distance,” Doughty said.
“But we will probably give him one more run before tackling the Cameron Handicap at Newcastle next month. Depending on how he goes there we might push on into the spring carnival.”
Flamboyer has won eight races but only one of those has been in open company in the Listed Glasshouse Mountain Sprint at the Sunshine Coast.
“He went up ten ratings points for that open company win which means he has got right up in the weights. He has the same weight as Zin Zan Eddie who has won and been placed in Sydney Listed company,” Doughty said.
To reduce Flamboyer’s 58.5kg, Doughty has booked apprentice Matt McGillivray who has a two kilo claim.
“Matt wants to mix riding in Sydney and here. He is an experienced apprentice who should suit Flamboyer,” she said.
Flamboyer is one of many horses Doughty and her husband Gary have had success with as breeder-owner-trainers.
“He is by Clang which is where he probably gets his liking for wet tracks. But he has won five times on dry tracks so he is best described as consistent,” she said.
Doughty will back Panno Rossa up in the 2200m-open handicap after his second in restricted class at Eagle Farm last week.
“He didn’t have a lot of luck and I was thinking of running him next week. But he has been so consistent he is getting big weights in restricted class and gets a big drop in weight in an open,” she said.
One of Panno Rossa’s opponents will be Black Jag who will have his first Brisbane start in four years.
Black Jag was originally trained in Brisbane by Peter Hulbert until being transferred to Chris Waller’s Sydney stable.
