Stradbroke lead-up, Derby dreams and an open Oaks: All eyes on Eagle Farm

Cover image courtesy of Trackside Photography

Kimochi heads into unknown with Group 1 double

With the G1 Kingsford-Smith Cup not being run last weekend due to wild weather, several trainers are facing the prospect of having to back horses up with a seven-day turnaround from the Kingsford-Smith into next weekend’s G1 Stradbroke Handicap. Trainer Gary Portelli will make the attempt with Group 1 winner Kimochi (Brave Smash {Jpn}). “She will run on Saturday, it's a Group 1 race, and I couldn't go to the 1400 metre of the Stradbroke with her straight away given she has had a big gap between runs,” Portelli told media this week.

“A high pressure handicap like the Stradbroke, they have got to be fit. We have never had to back-up before, the program has never had us having to back-up. But she is a very tough mare, whenever she races she is normally primed the week afterwards.

“You actually think to yourself that she looks better the week after, than what she did leading into the race. She does cope with pressure, she's a big strong mare and she has been in work for ages. It's not like she's coming out of a spell and she's going to be too fresh or underdone. She has got a good fitness core.”

Coming off a last placing in the G1 All-Aged Stakes, Kimochi trialled and won on May 13.

“The plan is she will take her place in the Stradbroke, unless we race below expectations this Saturday. From the time she came into work this preparation, the Stradbroke was in my mind the goal. We have drawn a fantastic barrier (three) in the Kingsford Smith, so she is going to get a soft run.

“That's important because going into the Stradbroke, she is not going to have a gut-buster and be trapped wide or doing work. She will get a nice run and accelerate in the straight, if she runs top three then I would be over the moon from a Straddy point of view.”

Winner of the G1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes in the spring, Kimochi was purchased by Yulong for $2.2 million at the 2024 Inglis Chairman’s Sale.

The field for the Kingsford-Smith remains unchanged from last weekend, although Private Eye (Al Maher), Rothfire (Rothesay), Bosustow (Blue Point {Ire}), and Ameena (Tassort) have been scratched. With previous winners like I Wish I Win (NZ) (Savabeel), Think About It (So You Think {NZ}), and Queensland stallion Spirit Of Boom, there is plenty of strong form that comes from this race. Kimochi is one of five Group 1 winners still remaining in the field.

Group 1 chance for Mott with Libertad

Trilogy’s 4-year-old entire Libertad (Russian Revolution) will be aiming to get an important Group 1 win on his resume, and jockey Jamie Mott has a strong record with him. Unplaced last start in the G1 Doomben 10,000, Libertad won the G2 Victory Stakes at his start prior.

“I was booked for Libertad last Saturday and they got called off, which I wasn't too disappointed about because the first time I rode him he was brilliant, winning the Group 2 and then we went to the Doomben 10,000, which was on a Heavy 8 and it felt like to me that he didn't appreciate the Heavy ground,” Mott told media this week.

“I'm looking at the forecast and thinking that we're going to get better than a Heavy track on Saturday, so I think that will favour him and I think the extra week will do him the world of good as well.

“If we get a fair track, a Soft 5 or a Soft 6, I think he'll appreciate that. He's a high-quality horse and if he can show his best, he's definitely up to winning a Group 1.”

An unbeaten Group 3 winner at two, Libertad improved at three to win the G3 San Domenico Stakes on resuming before running third to Joliestar (Zoustar) in the G2 Arrowfield 3YO Sprint in the autumn. He then had a year away from the track with injury, and is a Group 2 winner from three starts since his return.

With four in the Derby, Waller has a strong hand

Chris Waller has three G1 Queensland Derby’s under his belt, having won it with Hawkspur (Purrealist) in 2013, Kukeracha (NZ) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) in 2021, and Kovalica (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) in 2023. This year he has four runners, and he spoke to his weekly racing review on Youtube about them.

“Belle Detelle was scratched last week but comes back in now. She had a sore foot. (The abscess) burst out, so that was instant relief for her, and she galloped well on Tuesday morning. She will run well. James McDonald rides her. It’s a tricky barrier but James will sort that.”

Closely related to Waller’s champion mare Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}), Belle Detelle (Zed {NZ}) was sixth in the G3 Rough Habit Plate last start, won by stablemate Imperialist (NZ) (Churchill {Ire}).

“Existential Bob was coming in on the market last week. He’s very well and he’s had an extra week to get over his run last time. I think he’ll stay.” Existential Bob (NZ) Ocean Park {NZ}) is a non-stakes winner who has won his last two starts. He’ll be ridden by Jason Collett.

“Imperialist will stay as long as he’s ridden closer to the speed. The race being called off was probably a good thing for him.” Imperialist is coming off the G3 Rough Habit Plate on May 17, and will be ridden by Tommy Berry.

“Imperialist surprised us a little bit. In the Australian Derby, we went back to last and he never made an impact, so we just sort of formed the opinion that he might not stay. I asked Tommy Berry after the Rough Habit and he said 'no, he'll get further'.”

Gallery: Trainer Chris Waller's runners for the Queensland Derby

And the final of the four is gelding Liberty Park (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) who sneaks into the field thanks to two scratchings. “He’s going as good as last week.” He will be ridden by Ryan Maloney and he was last in the G3 Rough Habit Plate last start, so it remains to be seen what Waller’s somewhat cryptic comment means.

Too Darn Hot's Sweltering set to upset Oaks

Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained Sweltering (Too Darn Hot {GB}) will run in Saturday’s G1 Queensland Oaks coming off a last start second in the G1 Australasian Oaks in South Australia. “I'm really happy with the way she's travelled up to Queensland,” Young told the media this week.

“I was up there last week and watched her do her final gallop on Tuesday morning and it was a really nice piece of work on her own, like she did before the Oaks in South Australia. She really ran through the line. She's really thrived since being up there.”

A maiden in seven starts, Sweltering has run second five times, including in the G1 Australasian Oaks last start behind Saturday’s rival Benagil (Manhattan Rain). She’s earned her connections over $200,000 without winning and the Oaks would be a spectacular way to break her maiden. Sold by Widden Stud for $90,000 as a yearling at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, she was on-sold at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale a fortnight ago where Highway Farm purchased her for $600,000. This will be her first start in Yulong’s colours.

“She's going into Saturday with six weeks between runs but just in the past we always thought that if they go to The Roses and then they go to the Oaks, sometimes they really just get one run when they come from that path.

“We elected to go straight into the Oaks and obviously with the sale being on the Tuesday, 10 days prior, we thought that would take a little bit out of her too. She's really going great, we've got the terrible draw though.”

The G1 Queensland Oaks was the first Group 1 win for super mare Winx (Street Cry {Ire}).

Philia not for sale ahead of Oaks

A half-sister to G1 Queensland Oaks winner Duais (Shamus Award), Philia (All Too Hard) comes into the race with the best form, having won her last four in succession including the G2 The Roses last start.

“We had a call from someone wanting to buy her, but the money has to be very big to sell,” trainer David Vandyke told racingqueensland.com.au.

“She’s a progressive filly and hopefully some bigger races are ahead of her. It would take a lot of money for her owners to sell.”

She’s been stepping up nicely in trip over those four wins from 1350 metres, twice at a mile, and last start over 2000 metres.

“She’s ticked all the boxes so far except 2200 metres. She looks great and is working well but the 2200 metres is our main concern. It’ll be a tougher at Eagle Farm than when she won The Roses at Doomben as Eagle Farm is a tougher track than Doomben. This filly has gone from winning a maiden at Doomben at the start of the year to the Oaks in one campaign.”

Trainer David Vandyke won the Oaks in 2022 with Gypsy Goddess (NZ) (Tarzino {NZ}) and in 2014 was second with Arabian Gold (Dubawi {Ire}).

“I’m not as confident with her as I was with Gypsy Goddess and the 2200 metres is still a big question mark. Gypsy Goddess and Arabian Gold had different paths because of different circumstances. I didn’t want to run Arabian Gold at the Gold Coast that year because I preferred the Doomben and Eagle Farm tracks which were playing better than the Gold Coast at the time.”

She will be ridden by jockey Kerrin McEvoy who will equal the record of four wins in the race if Philia emulates her half-sister.