By Glenn Davis
Veteran trainer Barry Baldwin is confident aptly named Surface To Surface can step up in distance and continue his good recent form at the Gold Coast on Wednesday.
Surface To Surface is chasing his second win from seven starts in the QTIS Three-Year-Old Benchmark 65 Handicap (1400m).
He will be joined at the Gold Coast by promising sprinter Pork And Beans who lines up in the Benchmark 65 Handicap (1100m).
Surface to Surface is a son of Smart Missile out of the mare Millennial which makes him a half-brother to La Montagna who gave Baldwin his biggest success in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap in 2006.
The gelding won his maiden at Warwick as part of his education process at his fifth start on January 25 before an eye-catching second in Class Two grade at the Sunshine Coast on February 10.
“He won well at Warwick and the form out of the race has been good with a couple going on to win,” Baldwin said.
“His last run was very good but he’s still learning what it’s all about.
“He got to the line strongly at the Sunshine Coast so he should race well.
“He lacks a bit of maturity but if he comes up as good as we hope he could be looking for better races down the track.”
Baldwin also expects s strong performance from Pork And Beans.
Pork And Beans has started only three times for two wins and is expected to show his customary early speed and make use of his rails draw.
At his most recent appearance Pork And Beans led all the way for a narrow Class One victory over 1000 metres at the Sunshine Coast on February 3.
It was only his second run after more than a year off and followed a first-up failure at Doomben last month.
“He should lead and make the others work from barrier one but he doesn’t have to,” Baldwin warned.
Five-year-old Pork And Beans’ career has been limited to only three starts for two wins.
“He had a serious leg problem after he won his maiden at Doombwn two years ago and had to have more than a year off,” Baldwin said.
“He’s got more ability than this class but he’s still a bit of a day-to-day proposition.”
Racing Queensland webnews February 19