Promising three-year-old Tarzan swings in to Doomben on Saturday with a top chance of continuing part-owner Neville Bell and trainer Stuart Kendrick’s successful starts to the season.
Tarzan has won his only two starts at the Sunshine Coast where he was impressive both times.
The gelding was entered to make his city debut at Doomben two weeks ago but Kendrick elected to keep him for the Sunshine Coast the next day where he beat older horses.
Bell is the chairman of the Brisbane Race Club but is also a leading breeder and owner whose best horse was the 1999 AJC Derby and Caulfield Cup winner Sky Heights.
He bred Tarzan, who is by underrated sire Drumbeats out of Bell’s consistent broodmare Babinda Belle, a five-time winner on the racetrack.
“Tarzan is a half-brother to another of our good horses in Hazard Bay and that is why I was keen to keep a share in him,” Bell said.
He is hoping Tarzan has none of Hazard Bay’s bad manners after that gelding developed a reputation for being unruly before the start.
“Every time I see Glen Colless (jockey) I want to shake his hand and apologise,” Bell said.
He was referring to a meeting at Doomben in September last year when Colless was tipped off Hazard Bay on the way to the barrier and the gelding stood on him.
Colless was out of the saddle for nearly three months before making a successful comeback.
Bell said it was no surprise Tarzan, Hazard Bay and another of Babinda Belle’s off spring in Queen Of Georgia had shown ability.
“She was a very smart race mare and they have carried on from her,” Bell said.
