Kropp expects Red Defcon to improve for Grand Prix assignment

By Glenn Davis

Toowoomba filly Red Defcon produced the worst performance of her short career in the Eagle Way but trainer Matt Kropp is forgiving ahead of her Grand Prix assignment at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Red Defcon missed a place for the first time in her 10-start career when she tailed off last in a field of eight behind More Trouble in the Eagle Way at Doomben on December 2.

The daughter of Defcon was attempting to give Kropp his second Eagle Way win following Trusty Lad’s victory in 2018. 

Red Defcon’s only win so far was in a three-year-old maiden at the Sunshine Coast in September and connections are sticking with jockey Samantha Collett, who was aboard at her past four starts.

Kropp will use the Grand Prix as a staying test for a possible Queensland Oaks campaign next winter.

“I don’t know what went wrong with her last start,” Kropp said.

“I don’t think it had anything to do with her being outclassed or anything like that and we haven’t found anything amiss.

“She just didn’t settle as good as we hoped and she had to sustain a long run.

“This will be a test to see if she can stay before she goes out for a break and if she shows us she can run a trip the Queensland Oaks is a possibility next year.”

The Grand Prix has been dominated in recent times by champion Sydney trainer Chris Waller.

Waller has won the feature five times since his first victory with Hawkspur in 2012.

His other Grand Prix winners include Vilanova (2013), Mackintosh (2015), The Elanora (2020) and last year with Kovalica.

Kovalica went on from his Grand Prix triumph to claim the Group 2 Queensland Guineas and Group 1 Queensland Derby at Eagle Farm last winter.

The son of Ocean Park then finished second in the Group 1 Epsom Handicap at Randwick, which was won by stable mate Rediener during the spring.

Waller will be double handed this year with Shy Guy, a Mark Du Plessis mount, and James Orman’s Kirikan attempting to maintain the Sydneysider’s dominance.

Shy Guy won his maiden at Ipswich three starts back before placing at his next two runs including his latest when second to More Trouble in the Eagle Way.

Kirikan is on his second trip to Brisbane and is coming off a last start win in a 1900 metre maiden at Canterbury on December 8.

Kirikan campaigned in Brisbane during the winter finishing second on debut in a two-year-old maiden at Doomben in June before finishing last of six in the Listed Tatt’s Stakes at Eagle Farm three weeks later.