Former Sydneysider Brazen Moss has been thrown in the deep end at Doomben but has things in his favour as he tries to make the jump from midweek class horse to open company.
Brazen Moss scored an impressive win in a Class Six race at the Gold Coast two weeks ago and it was enough for trainer Tony Gollan to step him up to open company at Doomben on Saturday.
The gelding is the second favourite for the 1600m-open handicap with his wet track credentials to stand him in good stead with two wins and nine placings from 14 starts in slow and heavy conditions.
The track passed an inspection on Friday afternoon and will be heavy.
Brazen Moss is a three-quarter brother to seven-time Group One winner Buffering and, while not a stakes performer, he has returned $253,000 on his $75,000 yearling price.
Gollan showed he was getting ready for a big winter carnival when he won seven trials at Deagon on Tuesday.
But while the premier trainer is readying to repel the usual southern invasion, Brazen Moss will not be among his front line troops.
Gollan said he would be happy to win a few Saturday class open company races with Brazen Moss.
“I have thrown him in the deep end on Saturday as provided the field holds up it is full of depth with some very good horses,” Gollan said.
“But I wanted to get him into a race where he goes down in the weights. Also he loves the wet which is more than you can say for a few others in the field.”
“Throw in the fact he has an in-form jockey (Jim Byrne) and the race should be run to suit his style and that is a few pluses for him.”
Brazen Moss came to Gollan’s stable a year ago and has won three races and been minor placed eight times.
“He really has been consistent and came to us a midweek class horse and is now ready to win in open company,” Gollan said.
“Brazen Moss is one of several Triple Crown Syndication horses to come from Peter and Paul Snowden when it was obvious the horses couldn’t win in Sydney.
“The horses are always in top fettle and the Snowdens give us an idea of how to handle the horses so it is a big start.”
