The curtain has been drawn on the Queensland Racing Carnival but for some of the headline acts, attention is firmly turning to springtime features.
Co-trainers Chris and Corey Munce will be keeping Group 1 JJ Atkins Stakes (1600m) winner Cool Archie out of the limelight for the remainder of 2025 which leaves Kelly Schweida’s Sunrays and the David Vandyke-trained Philia to fly the flag for the sunshine state over the coming months.
Sunrays, a rising three-year-old daughter of Group 1 William Reid Stakes (1200m) winner Hellbent, will head to Sydney for a preparation including the Group 2 Tea Rose Stakes (1400m) and then Group 1 Flight Stakes (1600m).
“She’s had a month off and has come through it really well,” Schweida said.
“She’s shown that she should get a mile and we’ll target those fillies races in Sydney.”
Sunrays capped her carnival with victory in the Listed Show A Heart (1500m) and is a $15 chance for the Flight Stakes with Group 2 Percy Sykes Stakes (1200m) winner Tempted the $4 favourite.
Philia made her mark on the staying fillies ranks winning the Group 2 The Roses (2000m) at Doomben but finished out of the placings in the Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2200m).
Halfway through a six week break, David Vandyke is still unsure where the daughter of All Too Hard head to but mile features at the highest level could be an option.
Tony Gollan revealed last week that Antino has returned to his stable after a break with the emphatic win in the Group 1 Doomben Cup (2000m) with the Cox Plate (2040m) in the state’s premier trainer’s sights.
Antino is the $6 second favourite for the Cox Plate with Via Sistina the favourite at $2.30.
