By Glenn Davis
Trainer Tony Gollan will take the easier option and start talented filly Sugar Boom at Doomben on Wednesday ahead of her likely mission in the $500,000 QTIS Jewel at the Gold Coast next month.
Sugar Boom will make her race debut in the QTIS Two-Year-Old Maiden Plate (1200m) instead of the QTIS Jewel Prelude for fillies at Doomben on Saturday.
Brad Stewart is booked to ride the filly who was a star performer at the Doomben barrier trials on January 29 and again at the Sunshine Coast on February 12.
Gollan has a big opinion of the daughter of Spirit Of Boom who will have 30 yearlings go under the hammer at next month’s QTIS Magic Millions yearling sales at the Gold Coast.
The two-day QTIS Magic Millions yearling sales start on Monday, March 18 and is regarded by many of Queensland’s leading trainers as one of the best value for money sales in the country.
The $500,000 QTIS Jewel (1200m) will be run on March 16 supported by the $200,000 QTIS Jewel for three-year-olds and the Listed Goldmarket Handicap.
Gollan has also nominated Sugar Boom for the Group 1 ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes and the Group 2 Percy Sykes Stakes, both at Randwick in April but is leaning to tackling The Jewel on home soil first.
“She’s a nice filly but she’s no certainty tomorrow,” Gollan said.
“It’s very hard for two-year-olds to win first-up over 1200 metres especially against other experienced two-year-olds.
“I just felt Wednesday's race was the best option for her than Saturday and if she runs well, I’d love to get her into The Jewel.”
Gollan has around 35 two-year-olds in training at Eagle Farm where he has up to 90 horses in work.
“The Jewel is a very good race with huge prizemoney for restricted sale horses,” Gollan said.
“I’ve got a nice bunch of two-year-olds and on what Sugar Boom has shown me so far she’s up with the best of them.
“I’ve got another couple of young horses I hope will also get into The Jewel.”
Gollan said if Sugar Boom took her trial form to the races an interstate trip at some stage down the track was possible.
“She’s dominated for a few races during The Championships but there’s always our Brisbane winter carnival,” he said.
“Whether she’s an autumn or winter filly only time will tell.”
Racing Queensland webnews February 26