A three-year-old race on the support program is set to steal some of the limelight from the Group races on Doomben Cup day with the likely clash of Zoustyle and Plague Stone.
Trainers Tony Gollan (Zoustyle) and James Cummings (Plague Stone) have indicated the two will contest Saturday’s 1200m-race which is under Plate conditions.
Plague Stone won the Mick Dittman Plate at Doomben on April 20 and last week won a trial at Kembla Grange by nine lengths.
Cummings said it had been a hard decision to geld Plague Stone who is well-bred by Lonhro out of Giggleswick.
“It seems as though it has been the right decision for him as a racehorse,” he said.
Gollan is hoping there will be no heavy rain this week so he can get Zoustyle’s campaign off the ground.
“I am sure we made the right decision in scratching him from the Gold Coast Guineas last week,” Gollan said.
“It was a last-minute decision but as I stood there watching the horses parade in pouring rain I knew I had made the right decision.
“I am not saying he wouldn’t handle a heavy track but I didn’t want to give him a gut-buster first up.”
Gollan said the rest of Zoutsyle’s campaign would be decided after Saturday.
Unbeaten in five starts, Zoustyle is second favourite for the Group One Kingsford Smith Cup and Stradbroke Handicap with Osborne Bulls heading both markets in which Plague Stone is also prominent.
Gollan had a winning double at Doomben on Saturday with his three-year-olds Ef Troop and Vega One.
