Trainer Desleigh Forster hopes she might have a potential winter carnival horse in Malvern Estate who is aiming for four wins in a row at Doomben.
Forster entered Malvern Estate for the Open Handicap (1100m) and the Benchmark 80 (1200m) but elected to go with former when he drew barrier one.
After trialling well at Doomben in December, Malvern Estate has been in peak form with three wins at the Sunshine Coast.
Malvern Estate came from midfield to destroy a handy Class Six field over 1200m at the Sunshine Coast three weeks ago but Forster hopes he will be handier from his good barrier on Saturday..
Breeder Basil Nolan sent his broodmare Stepping to top sire Redoute’s Choice and Malvern Estate was the result.
“It was originally planned to run him in Melbourne but he ended up with me. He isn’t very big but he has plenty of ability,” Forster said.
“He has been a work in progress but he has now had eight starts for five wins and two seconds.
“If Malvern Estate continues to improve at this rate he might develop into a carnival horse. Saturday is a good test.”
Forster and Nolan are also looking to the carnival with much travelled Weinholt who has top weight in the Class Six Plate (1350m) on Saturday.
He ran third at $101 in the Sunshine Coast Cup three weeks ago and Forster believes that was an indication of his true form.
Weinholt did his early racing with Mick Price in Melbourne and has gradually been adapting to Queensland racing.
“He doesn’t want the tracks too hard and I have booked Boris Thornton to claim 3 kilograms to help with his big weight,” Forster said.
“With some give in the track he could be hard to beat in some winter races.”