Brett Cavanough’s sprinter The Monstar is ready for a return to racing getting thrown straight in the deep end first-up with a Group 1 Doomben 10,000 run in Brisbane this weekend.
The Monstar makes his Group 1 debut this Saturday in Brisbane’s Doomben 10,000 field. Photo: Daniel Costello.
The six-year-old son of California Dane has just his second start at Doomben Racecourse on Saturday taking on a gun field of winter weight-for-age hopefuls in the $700,000 Group 1 James Boag’s Premium Doomben 10,000 (1200m).
His only other run at the track produced a brave second to Londehero over 1100m in July of last year, after which he went on to beat Into The Red by three and a half lengths at Eagle Farm.
Two back at Royal Randwick in December The Monstar was back in winning form, enjoying an upset win in the Listed Razor Sharp Handicap (1200m).
His only run since was a disappointing eighth behind Kuro at Gosford in mid-January’s Listed Takeover Target Stakes (1200m).
A horse that performs well fresh, Cavanough is hoping for a good resuming run in the Doomben 10,000 by The Monstar whose target changed with the wet weather in Queensland.
While untested on Heavy going, the horse thrives on Soft going having enjoyed seven wins and two further placings on his dozen starts on rain-affected tracks to date.
With plenty of rain falling in Brisbane this week, the course proper at Doomben is into a Heavy (8) and Cavanough hopes that will give his runner the chance to thrive in elite level company.
The Monstar was also nominated for a run at his new Scone base in the Listed Ortensia Stakes (1100m) on Dark Jewel Classic Day, but Cavanough has confirmed the Doomben 10,000 target.
“He will leave Scone tomorrow and arrive in Toowoomba on Thursday,” Cavanough told AAP on Tuesday.
“He’s not the best traveller so I’ll get him up there and he will stay with Jake Capewell who has a nice quiet property.
“The wet track is definitely the key.
“I don’t think he will be out of place. He’s had no issues and he’s really screwed down.
“He has a good first-up record and a great record on wet tracks.
“He ticks a few boxes.”
Cavanough also confirmed James Orman as the Doomben 10,000 jockey for The Monstar who takes on the likes of Peter & Paul Snowden’s Group 1 winning colt Russian Revolution and the reigning champing Music Magnate on Saturday.
“James Orman will ride him and he’ll be hungry for a Group One win so that’s another positive,” Cavanough said.
To check out the updated Doomben 10,000 betting odds and options and back your favourite sprinters in the opening Group 1 of the Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival head to Ladbrokes.com.au.
