A small field and the chance to bank some valuable prizemoney towards the Magic Millions has convinced Stuart Kendrick to back-up Torque I Tee in the Listed Phelan Ready at Eagle Farm.
The Shalaa colt scored a handy debut win at the Gold Coast last month before finishing runner-up to the unbeaten Skirt The Law over 1200m at Doomben last weekend.
While there was a five-length margin to the winner, Kendrick felt Torque I Tee didn’t enjoy the soft ground and he was keen to capitalise on what he hoped would be a firmer surface on Saturday.
“I wasn’t looking to back him up but when I saw the small field, he’s a very tough colt and he seems to have come through the run well,” Kendrick said.
“I’m keen to get him back on top of the ground. I thought on that soft track last week his wheels spun a bit on the turn, but I still liked his last 100 metres. When he balanced up, he still hit the line nicely.
“It’s not an easy task to drop back to the 1000 (metres) seven days later but I’m banking on the fact it’s a small field and if he can run into the money, it’s probably enough prizemoney to get us into the Magic Millions and then we can sit back, take our time and head in that direction.”
Torque I Tee will have just six rivals, including Sydney colt Godfather who has trialled nicely ahead of his debut.
Kendrick will rely on Bulloo in the $250,000 The Gateway (1400m) with stablemate and dual acceptor Vetta Velocita scratched to run in the Provincial Series Final (1300m) earlier on the program.
An impressive winner of the 2021 Toowoomba Guineas, Bulloo had come to the end of her preparation when midfield in Profondo’s Spring Champion Stakes before returning with two solid runs leading into this year’s winter carnival.
Just as Kendrick felt she was building towards another peak performance, she lost her rider as an odds-on favourite at the Sunshine Coast in June and had to be spelled.
Bulloo resumed with an even fifth at Doomben last month but Kendrick expected her to be much better suited by the roomier Eagle Farm track and hoped a wide draw could work in her favour.
“She likes a bit of room and first-up around Doomben, tightened up between horses, she was never comfortable,” he said.
“We will need a bit of luck to slot in and get a good run but she’s a quality mare and the big track and up in trip will suit her.”
Kendrick will have up to nine runners at the Eagle Farm meeting with the consistent Pocket Full ($10) another to keep an eye on in the Magic Millions QTIS 3YO Handicap (1400m) having been narrowly beaten by The Gateway favourite Antino two starts ago before doing a few things wrong when third to Storm The Fortress last time.