In-form Caloundra sprinters Tarzan and Misery had mixed luck in the barrier draw as they aim to win their first race at 1200m in the Tim Bell Memorial Handicap at Doomben.
Tarzan drew an ideal barrier in five but Misery has the outside barrier draw in 14.
There are few more consistent horses in Australia than Tarzan and Misery who have won a combined 22 races and been minor placed 22 times in their careers.
However, neither has won past 1100m stretching over four seasons.
Tarzan has attempted races at 1200m on five occasions and never run a place while Misery has been over 1200m only once and was also unplaced.
However, Stuart Kendrick, who trains both, says they get a chance to prove the statistics wrong on Saturday.
“Misery’s only try at the distance was when he ran sixth in the Listed Keith Noud Quality. He got beaten just on two lengths by Most Important who would be at short odds in Saturday’s race,” Kendrick said.
“But he has drawn the outside barrier which is obviously no help.”
Tarzan has drawn much better in barrier five which should help his chances of running a strong 1200m.
Kendrick said much of Tarzan’s form at 1200m was when the gelding wasn’t racing as truly.
“In a few of those starts he wanted to over race and that cost him at the finish. He is a far tougher horse these days,” he said.
“Also Tarzan has never run at 1200m on a good surface.”
Kendrick had intended to take Tarzan to Sydney last week for a race at Rosehill but scratched him.
“We felt he had plenty of weight and he drew a barrier where a few with early pace would have got up inside him and posted him deep,” Kendrick said.
“It was a better option to stay home for the Doomben race. But we are still looking at Sydney with him.”
Tarzan’s consistency is proving a problem for Kendrick.
“The handicapper is getting to him but I expect to get plenty of weight for him as his rating goes up.Unfortunately, he is not a horse for an apprentice,” he said.
Kendrick won his sixth Sunshine Coast premiership this season and showed he would be a force again with four winners at the trials on the Caloundra track on Tuesday.
His Listed race performer Jagged Edge was a strong winner and his promising Chevy Nova was also an impressive winner.
