By Glenn Davis
Trainer Toby Edmonds is hopeful Whypeeo can lay the platform for a start in next month’s Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap when the talented three-year-old tackles the Gold Coast Guineas on Saturday.
Whypeeo landed his second win at Listed level in the Mick Dittman Plate at Doomben last start and will again be ridden by premier jockey Jeff Lloyd in the 1200-metre Group 3 feature.
He claimed his first Listed win in the Gold Edition Plate at Doomben in December.
Edmonds was pleasantly surprised with Whypeeo’s victory in the Mick Dittman Plate after having grave reservations whether the I Am Invincible gelding would handle the heavy track.
“It’s pleasing to know now in hindsight that he can handle wet tracks,” Edmonds said.
Edmonds made a rare visit to claim three races at Tamworth including the Tamworth Cup with Plucky Girl on Sunday.
Edmonds has always had a big opinion of Whypeeo who has won five of his nine starts.
“He came through his last run in great order and he recovered beautifully,” he said.
“He’s quite fresh and bright and he worked strongly at the Gold Coast on Tuesday.”
Edmonds has nominated Whypeeo for the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap at Doomben on June 9 and has pencilled in the Group 3 Fred Best Classic (1350m) at Doomben on May 26 as a lead-up.
The Fred Best Classic winner is exempt from a Stradbroke ballot.
“All going well he’ll have his next run in the Fred Best Classic and then hopefully on to the Stradbroke,” he said.
Edmonds also is hoping for Group 1 Doomben 10,000 success on Saturday week with his Magic Millions Classic winner, Houtzen.
“She scalped her hind pastern in the (Group 2) Arrowfield Stakes in Sydney but she’s recovered well now,” he said.
“The Doomben 10,000 is a high-pressure race and she’ll be a chance in it.”
Whypeeo also was being considered for the Doomben 10,000 before Edmonds changed course.
“Three-year-old colts and geldings aren’t well off in the weights in the 10,000,” he said.
In early UBET markets for the Gold Coast Guineas, Whypeeo is a $2.70 favourite.
Racing Queensland webnews May 3