Gold Coast trainer Noel Doyle has almost resigned himself to the fact that his stable star Celtic Dancer won’t get a start in next week’s Stradbroke Handicap despite winning the $175,000 QTC Cup at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Doyle has harboured Stradbroke ambitions since the beginning of Celtic Dancer’s current campaign but the horse was 34th in the order of entry before Saturday’s win and needs a minor miracle to gain a start.
But Doyle has another plan up his sleeve and will be more than happy to start Celtic Dancer in the Eye Liner Stakes at Ipswich on June 16.
“I’d love to run him in the Stradbroke but that appears very unlikely and the Eye Liner will be a suitable back-up,” Doyle said.
“He’s a very good horse and he has come up really well this time – that’s why I thought about the Stradbroke with him.”
Emerging jockey Tim Bell continued his white-hot form and kept his unbeaten record on Celtic Dancer ($11) intact when he allowed the four-year-old to find the lead early in the 1300m event and the pair packed too many guns for their rivals on the heavy track.
Consistent sprinter Belltone ($4.60) tried valiantly in the straight but failed by a length and a quarter to catch the winner while Joint Chiefs ($41) ran on well late to finish 2-1/2 lengths back third.
Bell said he had a pre-race plan to lead on Celtic Dancer and the youngster praised the horse’s toughness.
“It’s a shame he won’t get into the Stradbroke because he’d be a good lightweight chance, especially if it’s wet,” Bell said.
“We went out there to lead and he really toughed it out when the other horse came at him in the straight.”
Belltone’s rider Chris Munce said he thought his mount had the race in his keeping when he ranged up to Celtic Dancer halfway up the straight.
“He tried his heart out and had every chance. I thought he was the winner at the furlong (200m) but the other horse wouldn’t give in,” he said.