Welcome relief from persistent rain has seen the Doomben surface go from unsuitable to race on Friday to approaching what could be a track rated just in the soft range on Wednesday.
Two listed races highlighted the beginning of the Brisbane run of the Queensland Summer Carnival and with the meeting originally set for last Saturday moved to midweek, Matt Hoysted is keen to start stablemates Appin Girl and Party For Two in the Listed Tattersall’s Classic (1200m).
“The forecast is looking good and hopefully we will get to a Soft 5 or a 6 at worst,” Hoysted said on reports from Brisbane Racing Club track staff.
“I think it is going to be perfect for both of those girls as they don’t like it too wet.
“Appin Girl definitely prefers to be on top of the ground.”
With a few barrier trials in between, Appin Girl won first-up at Eagle Farm in a benchmark 80 event over 1000-metres in October then was narrowly beaten as an odds-on favourite on November 2.
Her last start prior to those was back in November 2023 when placed in the Group 3 Red Roses (1100m) at Flemington during the Melbourne Cup Carnival.
“It was a super win first-up in really quick time and no doubt she disappointed last start as it was a race that we thought she would be winning but she did pull up slightly in season so we can probably put a bit of the performance down to that”, Hoysted added and also thought a touch of second-up syndrome might have crept in after the long gap between race day outings.
“We know she’s got the class but she’s got to tick the 1200-metre box.”
Party For Two has won two trials after a short break after finishing in the placings at Caulfield behind Recommendation and in front of subsequent Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m) winner Mornington Glory in last August.
“She’s a mare that is a bit of a trial start but we feel that we’ve got her a lot more forward going into this first-up and we want to attack the 1200-metres which suits her now,” he said.
“I think their both classy mares and Appin Girl has that x-factor about her and Party For Two doesn’t know how to run a bad race.”
Since taking the reins of the stable solo, Hoysted’s team is running at just short of a 20% winning strike rate and 49% placings.
“We kept the same staff and everything has been smooth but we’ve got a really young team of horses now and thankfully they’ve been getting the job done,” he said.
The Kris Lees-trained Bubba’s Boy, who is shooting for four-straight wins, holds favouritism at $3.60 while Appin Girl is at $5.50 with Party For Two at $8 for the Tattersall’s Classic.
