This Saturday will see the strongest ever field assembled at Rockhampton, with the $440,000 slot race ‘The Archer’ set to be run over 1300m.
Streets Of Avalon is one of two group one winners in the field along with Stradbroke Handicap winner Tyzone, and one of two Victorian trained horses alongside the Ben & JD Hayes trained Crosshaven.
Shane Nichols, trainer of Streets Of Avalon, is full of praise for how the race and how the club have gone about attracting horses.
“They’re going out of their way to do everything they can to make things fall into place for us. They’re pretty determined to make it a big annual event,” Nichols told SEN’s Andrew Bensley on Monday.
Streets Of Avalon is in fine form despite now being a seven-year-old veteran of sixty-seven starts, coming off placings in the All Star Mile behind Zaaki and Victoria Handicap behind Ayrton, and Nichols is confident heading into Saturday.
“He’s gone through his paces, he had a gallop at Doomben this morning (Monday), he worked nicely. He’s already fit enough,” said Nichols.
Travelling companion Crosshaven as a more “seasoned traveller” has also settled in well according to Nichols, with the consistent four-year-old coming off a fourth in the Golden Mile at Bendigo.
Regular jockey Zac Spain will continue his association with Streets Of Avalon after riding in Alice Springs on Sunday, while local jockey Justin W Stanley will ride Crosshaven.
Streets Of Avalon is currently on the second line of betting at $4.50 with the TAB (all-in) behind Apache Chase at $4.00, with Crosshaven equal third pick at $8.00.
