Gold Coast trainer Michael Costa has grabbed the opportunity to chase black-type with Miss Gem despite the filly facing a big step up in class at Doomben.
Costa has accepted with Miss Gem and Supergiant in the Listed Doomben Guineas (formerly Daybreak Lover Stakes) over 1600m.
Miss Gem has a win and four minor placings from her seven starts .
Costa believes the 1600m will suit the filly and it is a chance for her to get black-type in a winter carnival in which many of the stakes races have been shelved because of the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.
Miss Gem was an $85,000 buy at the Inglis sales.
“It is vital to get some black-type for fillies and you have to give them a chance,” Costa said.
“The winter black-type races have been cut back and this is one of her few chances to get black-type this winter.”
Supergiant will be much shorter in the market after scoring an impressive win at Ipswich at his last start.
The gelding first came to prominence when he beat stakes horse The Candy Man in an exhibition gallop at the Gold Coast in March.
But Costa believes Supergiant is well on his way to making a big name for himself on the racetrack
Supergiant is one of the few horses racing in Australia by American sire Red Giant who held the world record for 10 furlongs (2000m) during his racing career.
“Red Giant stood in New Zealand and we bought Supergiant off a video of a trial,” Costa said.
“We have high hopes for him as a stayer in the future. Unfortunately there is no Queensland Derby this year but he should be a long term prospect.”
Supergiant is also entered for Toowoomba on Sunday but is likely to run at Doomben.
