By Glenn Davis
Rising star Malvern Estate will be Goldmarket Handicap bound at the Gold Coast in two weeks if he can extend his winning sequence to five at Doomben on Saturday.
Malvern Estate has drawn poorly in barrier 11 in the Tattersall’s Club Young Members’ Open Handicap (1200m).
Trainer Desleigh Forster and part-owner, breeder Basil Nolan, discussed the four-year-old’s future following his impressive victory at Doomben two weeks ago and have ruled out aiming for the Listed Weetwood Handicap at Toowoomba in April.
Forster, who has an uncanny knack of acquiring top class horses such as Too Good To Refuse, I’m Belucci and the ill-fated Cylinder Beach, is confident of another strong performance from Malvern Estate.
“He’s got an awkward alley but he’ll be competitive,” Forster said.
“If he goes well he’ll run in the Goldmarket then I’ll reassess him.
“He’s done everything right since his tough run last start but if he doesn’t go as good as I hope tomorrow he’ll head straight to the paddock.”
The $100,000 Listed Goldmarket Handicap (1200m) will be run at the Gold Coast on March 17, the same day as the $250,000 QTIS Jewel (1200m).
Forster is undecided about progressing to the Brisbane winter carnival with Malvern Estate.
“He’s not very big and if he does to go the winter it’ll only be for a few select races,” she said.
“He’s not one dimensional and I think he’s looking for 1200 metres now.”
Forster said Malvern Estate, who was previously in the care of close friend Peter Moody and Mick Price, was lucky to be racing after suffering some issues early in his career.
Meanwhile popular Sunshine Coast trainer Stu Kendrick is hoping a win from Fish ‘N’ Snitz in the QTIS Two-Year-Old Handicap (1200m) can make up for the loss of his star youngster Fullazaboot.
Fish ‘N’ Snitz will be ridden by South African jockey Sean Cormack and is ineligible for the QTIS Jewel.
The daughter of Snitzel finished a game third to Greyt Love over 900 metres at the Gold Coast on February 21.
Kendrick’s Magic Millions runner-up Fullazaboot has been preparing for a Sydney autumn campaign and was nominated for the Skyline Stakes on Saturday before being sold for a seven-figure amount to Hong Kong this week.
“It’s disappointing not to have Fullazaboot any more but it was a good result for connections to sell,” Kendrick said.
“Unfortunately, Fish ‘N’ Snitz can’t run in the QTIS Jewel but she’s going well.
“All her runs have been good but she didn’t have much luck in her first preparation.
“She’s got to step up another level to head to the winter but we’ll see how she goes on Saturday first.”
Racing Queensland webnews March 2