Vastly improved gelding Monsieur Gustave has shown he will be the horse to beat in the big Queensland summer sprints, with his all-the-way win in the Keith Noud Quality at Ipswich.
Apprentice Tiffani Brooker made it two rides for two wins on Monsieur Gustave ($5), who beat Upstart Pride ($11) by three lengths with a neck to Brooklyn Storm ($5.50) in the 1200m Listed race, which was switched from a washed-out Doomben on Saturday.
Monsieur Gustave took giant steps during the winter carnival, winning the Listed Eye Liner Stakes at Ipswich and the Listed Glasshouse Sprint at Caloundra before going for a spell.
Trainer Darryl Hansen is confident the gelding can carry his form to the summer.
“In a way when the race was washed out on Saturday, it was a help for us. It gave him a couple of extra days to get over his jump out the previous Tuesday,” Hansen said.
“He will go on to the big races in the summer, starting with the George Moore Stakes and then the Lough Neagh Stakes and Buffering Quality,”
“There is a $400,000 bonus on the treble, which would be nice.”
Monsieur Gustave could then press on to the Magic Millions carnival.
Hansen has done a great job with Monsieur Gustave, who has won six races for him since he took over the gelding’s training 18 months ago.
Brooker, who has now ridden three black-type winners, said she was surprised by her easy lead.
“I agree the delay probably was good for him because it gave him that extra few days from the jump out. But I have had two rides on him for two black-type wins so I love him,” Brooker said.
Upstart Pride raced outside Monsieur Gustave for most of the race and his jockey, James Orman, said it was a strong first-up effort.
Earlier, Sunshine Coast galloper Truculent landed some big bets and earned a place in the Cannonball Series final with his win in a heat (800m).
The Cannonball is a series for short-course horses, with heats run at provincial and country tracks.
Gold Coast trainer Bryan Guy continued his great run for Hong Kong trainer-owner John Moore when Solar Path ($3.20) won a class three.
They combined to win the 2016 Queensland Derby with Eagle Way, who is now racing in top company with Moore in Hong Kong.
