Godolphin filly Ghisoni has stamped herself as a serious Stradbroke Handicap contender with a pleasing performance for success in the Group 3 Glenlogan Park Stakes (1350m) at Doomben this afternoon.
Ghisoni was far too good for her rivals in this afternoon’s Glenlogan Park Stakes at Doomben. Photo: Daniel Costello
Jumping from the wide barrier 10 well, jockey James McDonald allowed the talented three-year-old to stride forward, but was caught outside leader Blueberry Hill and Press Report until the bend.
Comfortably pulling clear upon arriving at the final straight, the Lonhro filly locked in a fierce sprint battle with a brave Cradle Me, but showed her class to again pull ahead and find the line a length and a half in the green.
McDonald delivered a typically smart performance aboard Ghisoni for success in the Glenlogan Park Stakes but was quick to lay all the praise on his classy mount.
“She’s magic, her whole career we’ve thought she was really good,” McDonald said.
“I think her career-best performance was when she was luckless in the Coolmore Classic, because if I was able to get out we would have destroyed them.
“The form out of that race has been awesome, so she’s very good but she needs to win that Group 1.
“She’s got so much improvement, she could do anything.”
Foreman for trainer John O’Shea, Darren Beadman said the team have been thrilled with the condition of Ghisoni this time, but a decision is yet to be made if she’ll contest the 2016 Stradbroke Handicap in a fortnight.
“I’m sure John will just let the dust settle, but she’s got options,” Beadman said after the race.
“The way she did it, and ran the time, the boys were saying the time she ran hasn’t been run in eighteen years, and she was strong on the line which was positive.
“She’s not fully wound-up and having that in mind, she conserves energy and James has always had an opinion of her.
“She’s better ridden just off the speed with a bit of cover and she’s got an electrifying turn of foot. I thought if she was ever going to be vulnerable it was going to be late, but she was strong.”
Ghisoni has firmed into 2016 Stradbroke Handicap odds of $9 for success with leading online bookie Ladbrokes.com.au, following this afternoon’s win in the Glenlogan Park Stakes.
2016 Glenlogan Park Stakes Results
| Finish | No. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Bar. | Weight | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | GHISONI | John O’Shea | James McDonald | – | 10 | 57kg | $1.85F |
| 2 | 3 | CRADLE ME | David Pfieffer | Zac Purton | 1.3L | 6 | 57.5kg | $9 |
| 3 | 10 | BEATNIKS | Steven O’dea | Paul Hammersley | 3.8L | 3 | 55.5kg | $31 |
| 4 | 5 | JUST A BLUR | Barbara Joseph & Paul Jones | Michael Cahill | 4.3L | 7 | 57.5kg | $18 |
| 5 | 11 | ELUSIVE CATCH (NZ) | Liam Birchley | Jeff Lloyd | 5.3L | 4 | 55.5kg | $101 |
| 6 | 4 | JESSY BELLE | Luke Oliver | Mark Zahra | 5.6L | 8 | 57.5kg | $15 |
| 7 | 1 | AMICUS | Chris Waller | Blake Shinn | 5.8L | 5 | 59.5kg | $4.60 |
| 8 | 7 | BLUEBERRY HILL | Liam Birchley | Jim Byrne | 6.1L | 9 | 57kg | $31 |
| 9 | 9 | PRESS REPORT | Lee Curtis | Ryan Wiggins | 99.9L | 1 | 55.5kg | $12 |
| 10 | 2 | LA PASSE | Darren Weir | Brad Rawiller | 99.9L | 2 | 59.5kg | $16 |
