Trainer Grahame Begg hopes a proven form line holds up when he has his first Queensland runner in six years at the Gold Coast.
The Begg-trained Miss Siska, the younger half-sister of top sprinter Hay List, is set to tackle Saturday’s Group Two Hollindale Stakes (1800m) at the Gold Coast.
Begg was a regular visitor to Queensland a decade ago with horses such as the top sprinter All Silent.
Formerly based in Sydney, Begg had three years away from training before returning to the industry in Victoria.
“I think my last Queensland starter was the good mare Secret Admirer who ran third in the (2013) Doomben Cup,” Begg said.
“I haven’t really had a horse to take to Queensland since I returned to training.”
Miss Siska was trained by Tony McEvoy when she ran second in the Group Two Matriach Stakes at Flemington in the spring.
Begg took over Miss Siska’s training this campaign and she won the Bendigo Gold Bracelet first-up on March 30.
Miss Siska then headed to Sydney where she was fourth to Kenedna in the Group One Coolmore Legacy Classic (1600m) at Randwick on April 13.
“Last year’s Hollindale winner Oregon’s Day was fourth in the Legacy last year before coming north,” Begg said.
“They are similar mares so let’s hope the firm line holds up.”
Miss Siska went straight to the Gold Coast after the Legacy and has settled in well.
“She worked on the Gold Coast course proper on Tuesday morning and it was good work,” Begg said.
“All going well she can then go on to the Doomben Cup and Group One company in a fortnight.”
Jordan Childs, who was the regular rider for Begg’s Group One winner Written By, will be reunited with Miss Siska after Jamie Kah rode her in the Legacy.
Fellow jockey Blake Shinn and trainer John Sargent are also hoping history can repeat itself with Luvaluva who is chasing the Hollindale/Doomben Cup double.
The winner of the Group Two Wakeful Stakes as a three-year-old, Luvaluva has been a consistent stakes performer without winning a Group One race.
Sargent even took her to New Zealand chasing a Group One win and she was third in the Breeders Stakes at Te Aroha on April 6.
Luvaluva has since shown she had no ill-effects from the trip by winning a Randwick trial last week.
Shinn won the Wakeful on Luvaluva and was then fourth on her in the 2017 VRC Oaks.
“I have won the Hollindale Stakes once on Streama and then she went on to win the Doomben Cup. Let’s hope Luvaluva can do the same,”Shinn said.
