Queensland trainer Tony Gollan says his Group 1 winning sprinter Jonker is back in top condition for another shot at winning a big race at The Valley.
Jonker won the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) at The Valley last spring and on Friday night will line up in the final Group 1 Victorian race of the season, the William Reid Stakes (1200m).
Following his win in the Manikato Stakes, Jonker was tipped out for a spell and returned to contest the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield last month, failing to beat a runner home.
Jonker had a slow post-race recovery and when scoped by vets was found to have a degree of mucus.
“It was quite a deal of mucus in his airways,” Gollan told RSN.
“Obviously with quite a bit of travelling coming down from Queensland, through New South Wales into Victoria, he obviously picked up a respiratory bug which we didn’t pick up on before the race.
“It took a bit to tidy up after the race, about a week to get it all out of him, but he’s in good shape now.”
Instead of travelling all the way back to Gollan’s Brisbane base, Jonker was transported to Randwick to recover and prepare for Friday night’s race.
Jonker was sent to Melbourne last week to be stabled at Flemington before the sprinter was given another look at The Valley under race rider Craig Newitt.
Gollan said Newitt had texted him for the ride and after a discussion with the owners it was agreed he could take the ride on Friday night after working the sprinter on Monday.
“He worked well, and we’ll see a vastly different horse on Friday night,” Gollan said.
“Whether he can beat Marabi, I’m not sure.
“She was awfully good in the Oakleigh Plate. She’s an out-and-out sprinter, but you’ll see a vastly better Jonker on Friday night.”