Champion jockey turned trainer Chris Munce has commended Racing Queensland’s decision to move remaining G1 meetings from Eagle Farm to Doomben on his weekly blog at Sportsbet.
Have Your Say: Do you agree with RQ’s decision to move remaining G1 meetings to Doomben? – Leave a comment below.
There has been a lot said about Eagle Farm racing surface and I know I’ve had my say in recent weeks, but I’m not buying into any more arguments.
Some big name trainers were apparently rumoured to be heading home if the rest of the carnival stayed at Eagle Farm.
The decision to switch the Oaks and Stradbroke meeting to Doomben has been made and there is no doubt it is the right one.
I’ve spoken to plenty of other trainers since the transfer and all agree that Racing Queensland made the right decision to hold the remaining Group 1 races at Doomben.
I served my apprenticeship at Eagle Farm and it was always a great track to ride on. In fact, the Farm was once a world class race track and most jockeys that rode there, prior to the last five or six years, would probably agree.
Doomben has been great over the carnival and for the amount of racing it has copped over the last couple of years (while Eagle Farm was being worked on) is unbelievable. I take my hat off to the Doomben’s racecourse manager, Jim Roberts and his team.
Blake Shinn is off to the United States to ride for one of the leading trainers over there. That’s something I would have loved to have done in my riding career, but I didn’t get the opportunity.
It’s a bit of a cliché, but Blake can match it with the best anywhere in the world and it will be a great experience for him.
Aussie jockeys are just so talented and one bloke that is absolutely flying is Hugh Bowman. Hughie rode Clearly Innocent to victory in the Kingsford-Smith Cup at Doomben and the following day claimed another Group 1, aboard Werther in Hong Kong.
Hughie has always been a good rider, but he has taken things to the next level. His association with the superstar mare Winx has also thrown him into the world spotlight.
People think Winx is just a sit and steer job, but the weight of expectation and pressure on Hughie would be enormous, but he just takes it in his stride and nothing seems to worry him.
Hughie pilots Dawn Wall in Saturday’s Queensland Oaks and will have to be at his best to get the Chris Waller-trained mare home. She’s drawn the outside gate and will need luck from the 2200m start at Doomben.
I think the two big guns will battle the race out. Darren Weir’s filly Kenedna and the Chris Waller-trained Egg Tart both have exceptional form. Perhaps Kenedna on top for the simple reason that she won her last start on the track.
At Munce Racing we have one runner, Skate To Paris, in the Bill Carter Stakes. She ran super for second to Pardoe last start and from barrier three I expect her to run very well again.
Good luck everyone and go the Maroons!
