The lure of big prize money in the Queensland summer means speed machine Tarzan will miss the Melbourne spring carnival this year.
Tarzan is considered the best short-course horse in Queensland and completed a hat-trick of wins when scoring at Doomben in early August.
He has now won 14 races and 12 of them have been at 1000m.
Tarzan will be taking on new territory when he races at the Eagle Farm 1000m for the first time in the Tomra Open Handicap on Saturday.
His only run at Eagle Farm was three years ago when he was unplaced over 1200m.
The gelding showed he was in line for another good campaign, beating smart gallopers Baccarat Baby and Tambo’s Mate in a recent barrier trial.
Caloundra trainer Stuart Kendrick has received a lot of praise for developing Tarzan from one of the most unruly horses in the state to a genuine stakes performer.
“Some of the owners were keen to take him to Melbourne for the 1000m races,” Kendrick said.
“He is at a stage where he is getting big weights here but he would still get big weights in Melbourne.
“Why travel when there are some really nice races for him here with good prize money.
“You have to be a bit selective with a horse like him and if the races are here for him we should chase them.”
After Saturday’s race, Tarzan will run a fortnight later in a $100,000 sprint on his home track of the Sunshine Coast.
“From there we can plot a course for the Magic Millions Snippets Handicap in January,” Kendrick said.
“The Millions race is now 1200m but he should be at his peak for the campaign by then.
“There is also some nice 1000m races later in January.”
Tarzan has won his past three starts humping 61kg, 59kg and 60kg and Kendrick believes over short courses he is an above-average weight carrier.
