Impeccably-bred stablemates Arctic and Onarohl will be striving to live up to their rich pedigrees and give trainer Brian Smith a double at Eagle Farm.
Arctic, a Ric McMahon mount, will make his debut in Wednesday’s Kedron-Wavell Services Club Maiden Plate (1200m) while Matt Palmer rides Onarohl in the Sky Racing Maiden Plate (1826m).
Smith will also saddle up Fouardeeson in the Sita Australia Maiden (1200m) but has decided not to run Loves A Challenge in the Sky Racing Plate (2200m).
Onarohl put the writing on the wall to break his maiden status with a fast-finishing second to Puerto Vallarta in a 1640-metre maiden at Doomben on October 5.
His dam Pride Of Tahnee has been a great producer at stud with 10 of her 11 named foals all winners.
Onarohl is the only one of her offspring yet to win but Smith is confident the son of Lonhro will maintain the family’s success on the racetrack.
Smith only took over training Onarohl late last year after the gelding started his career with Gold Coast trainer Maryann Thexton.
Smith has few peers as a trainer of stayers and is also renowned for his ability with tried horses.
He’s in no doubt Onarohl will never measure up to his siblings such as Shogun Lodge, Referral and Singing The Blues but is confident he’ll be competitive in Brisbane’s easier grades.
Shogun Lodge, by Grand Lodge, was the joint top galloper on the 2000-2001 Australasian four-year-old and over classification.
Trained by Sydney’s Bob Thomsen, Shogun Lodge started 58 times for 13 wins and 20 placings with career earnings of $4.6 million.
He ran in 31 Group One races for three wins, in the 1999 George Main Stakes, 2000 Epsom Handicap and 2001 Queen Elizabeth Stakes, while he was runner up in another 12 Group Ones.
Referral, a son of Dr. Grace, won nine times in his career up to 1600 metres including the Group One George Ryder Stakes at Rosehill in 1999 and was also placed behind Sunline and Diatribe in the Cox Plate in 2000.
Singing the Blues, by Bluebird, won 11 times in his short career of 20 starts including the 1998 Oakleigh Plate after which he started twice more before breaking down.
Smith believes Arctic will be better once the colt steps up in distance.
“He’s been a slow maturer so I’ve had to take him along quietly,” Smith said.
“He’s by Rock Of Gibraltar and will want a lot further than this.
“This is just a stepping stone for him.”
AAP TURF
