David Vandyke has promised the simplest of race plans will be employed to help Lamasery in his bid for Doomben Cup success on Saturday.
After Lamasery drew the outside barrier in the 14-horse field for the Group One race, Vandyke said the gelding will have to be ridden conservatively by Colless.
Lamasery - Photo by Steve Hart
“Bad barriers have a pretty poor record over that distance at Doomben so we’ll be just going straight back,” the trainer told radio station RSN.
“He’ll be back and tracking something up approaching the turn and you’ll see him flashing home late.
“Whether he gives them too much start remains to be seen but we certainly won’t be doing anything other than having that set plan going into the race.”
Lamasery will have to defy history because no horse has won the Cup from the outside barrier in the past 30 years.
Vandyke said Lamasery had a gruelling run when he finished fourth to Lights Of Heaven in the Hollindale Stakes at the Gold Coast on May 4 when he was ridden by Brenton Avdulla.
“He’s only got a 300-metre sprint and he was exposed from the 800 metres and to see him only get beaten three-quarters of a length was a massive effort,” he said.
“I was a bit nervous after the race because he was quite flat but subsequently he’s bounced back well and is going to be near 100 per cent on Saturday.”
Vandyke was concerned at the prospect of a wet track on Saturday but his fears have been allayed by a positive weather forecast.
The Doomben track was rated in the slow range when acceptances were taken on Wednesday but with fine weather predicted for the next week, Brisbane Racing Club officials are confident the track will improve to dead and possibly good on Saturday.
Lamasery is the $7 third favourite for the Cup behind Foreteller and Lights Of Heaven, the $3.60 equal favourites.
Chris Waller has scratched imported stayer Beaten Up from Friday’s Scone Cup to run at Doomben where he has drawn barrier one with New Zealand jockey Leith Innes booked for the ride.
Waller has also engaged Michael Walker to ride the veteran Danleigh, replacing Larry Cassidy who will switch to Ginga Dude.
