Tony Gollan will have a much clearer idea of his prospects of winning a Stradbroke Season Group 1 race after Saturday’s Doomben Cup meeting, where Garibaldi and Good Soize face crucial moments in their carnival tilts.
Garibaldi needs to win the BRC Sprint (G3) to secure a start in the June 12 Stradbroke Handicap, while Good Soize needs a forward showing in the Group 2 Roses to be a realistic chance of claiming next month’s Queensland Oaks.
Both horses worked on the Doomben course proper on Tuesday morning, with Gollan liking what he saw.
Garibaldi worked strongly with stablemate Baller, who was a last start stakes winner at the Gold Coast.
The BRC Sprint will be the four-year-old’s first step into Group class since last year’s Fred Best Classic, but he’s a far superior horse now, having been gelded in the interim.
“It’s a key race for him,” Gollan said. “If he can win this he gets into the Stradbroke. Whether he’s at that level or a rung down, we find out Saturday. It’s a good fork in the road for him.”
Gollan couldn’t fault Garibaldi’s work on Tuesday.
“I was very happy. He sat a good way off Baller, who is going great and he worked terrific Garibaldi.”
Good Soize is coming off a last start fourth in the Gold Coast Bracelet, where she worked home solidly from the back. She is drawn to settle closer to the speed in The Roses.
“She’s going great. She had a nice lead horse (Gunmetal Girl) that ran just behind her in the Bracelet and it was a nice gallop for the two fillies,” Gollan said of Tuesday’s course proper work.
“I expect to see good improvement again. That was only her second up run at 1800m and she’s pretty spot on now for the main two targets, which are the Roses and the Oaks.
“I didn’t want to have too many runs leading into the Grand Final. I’m really happy with what I saw the other day and I think we will see a better filly again (Saturday).”
