By Adam Hamilton
Australia's dominant trainer Emma Stewart is mapping-out a huge raid on the Queensland Constellations in July.
Stewart said she and partner Clayton Tonkin would have as many as 15 “raiders”, headed by Hunter Cup winner Honolua Bay.
“It’s going to be big for us. We’re taking plenty up and will stay about a month or so,” Stewart said.
“There could be as many as 15 go up when we finalise them.
“We’re going to base ourselves at Grant and Trista Dixon’s place, they’ve got a whole barn we can use.”
Honolua Bay, who won the Hunter Cup on February 4, hasn’t raced since finishing third in the Miracle Mile at Menangle on March 4.
“He’s come back well and he’ll go for those big races like the Sunshine Sprint and Blacks A Fake. Mach Dan, who also proven himself at that level, will also head-up for those races,” Stewart said.
“We’re taking most of our best mares, too. Tough Tilly, Amore Vita, Encipher and Soho Historia will also go up.”
Stewart confirmed Australia’s top-rated three-year-old The Lost Storm would also head north.
“He’s really well,” she said. “His target is the Queensland Derby, but we’d also like to run him in the Rising Sun before that, but we’ll need an invitation. We’d love to get one.”
The Lost Storm’s other major target is the inaugural $2.1 million TAB Eureka at Menangle on September 2.
Stewart also hopes superstar filly Major Delight will be part of the Queensland team after a scary setback.
“She got really sick. So sick we thought we might lose her for a while,” he said.
“They still don’t know what it was, maybe a mozzie bite, because it threw her blood right out and she’s still at the vet clinic recovering, but things have improved a lot.
“We’ve still got time on our side, so the plan is to take her if she’s back to her best in time.
“Our other top filly, Tempress Tiger, will go up as well for the Queensland Oaks.
“We’ve also got a few other restricted-class horses we are thinking about taking up as well.
“There’s also a two-year-old we like called Balboa Rock. He’s a QBRED and nice races for him, too.”