An expected breakneck early pace will give quality sprinter Havasay a chance to win over the shortest sprint distance at Doomben.
Saturday’s Listed Bribie Handicap (1050m) has attracted a field of eleven and at least five are regarded as horses who like to race on the speed.
Havasay has had 33 starts for eight wins, six at 1200m with his shortest win over 1110m.
Both his runs over 1050m have been in Listed company in last year’s Bribie and the Falvelon Handicap and he ran third in each of them,
Havasay won the Ramornie Handicap at Grafton in fast time before being unplaced in two runs in Melbourne during the spring.
The gelding had little luck in either race and the decision was made to return to Queensland for the summer.
Trainer Liam Birchley’s stable foreman Allan Russell said Havasay had a solid trial preparation for Saturday’s race.
“He flew home to be third in the Bribie last year and he will just need some luck,” Russell said.
“One thing he doesn’t want is heavy rain. If the predicted downpour comes he won’t run.”
Havasay has been one of the horses affected by a one-year ban on Birchley in Victoria for the Aquinita case.
Birchley is allowed to train in Victoria and Queensland on a stay but he is barred from training NSW.
It meant Toby Edmonds trained Havasay when he won the Ramornie and Bjorn Baker Crack Me Up when he won the 2017 Villiers.
Birchley’s appeal against the ban is ongoing in Melbourne.
