Premier Brisbane trainer Tony Gollan has no hesitation about backing I’m A Rippa up to try to defend the Group Three BRC Sprint at Doomben.
I’m A Rippa led last Saturday’s Group One Doomben 10,000 field before finishing 10th behind The Bostonian and has done well in the week since.
Gollan believes it was a much better run than it looks on paper.
“He took the field along at a good clip and only got beaten three lengths,” Gollan said.
“It was weight-for-age last time but he is back in grade, in a handicap and up in distance.
“The plan was always to run in this race but I didn’t want to have three weeks between runs after the Victory Stakes run in late April.”
Gollan said if I’m A Rippa raced well he had the option of the Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 8.
The BRC Sprint has usually been won by a good horse but only 2014 winner River Lad has completed the double with the Group One Stradbroke.
This year there are several runners who could take a hand in the Stradbroke including I’m A Rippa’s stablemate Coldstone.
“The old horse (Coldstone) is going really well and I couldn’t be happier with him. He ran on really strongly last time to win,” Gollan said.
He said three-year-old Zoustlye had done everything he hoped for in the lead-up to his comeback run against his own age on Saturday.
“He has had a jump-out since missing a run at the Gold Coast because of a wet track. I am really looking forward to him running on Saturday,” Gollan said.
Zoustyle remains at the head of most Stradbroke markets but will have to run well on Saturday to continue on to the race.
