By Glenn Davis
Trainer Chris Anderson will experiment with an important gear change for talented three-year-old Profit ahead of his upcoming winter carnival campaign.
Profit will race for the first time without blinkers in the QTIS Three-Year-Old Handicap (1600m) in which he will carry topweight with 59kg after Anderson decided against using a claiming apprentice.
Profit has not raced for over a month since finishing second to Naval Strike against his own age over 1400 metres at Eagle Farm on February 22.
“I’m really happy with him and it’s a month between runs,” Anderson said.
“I’m taking the blinkers off him for the first time to help his manners.
“He’s still a bit green and is still learning and he’ll take a lot of improvement from this run.”
Anderson is hoping Profit, a winner of three of his seven starts, will improve over further ground and is aiming the son of Dundeel for the Group 1 Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm in June.
“At this stage taking the blinkers off is just a trial and they could go back on in the future,” Anderson said.
“The Queensland Guineas is his immediate aim and hopefully he’ll end up in the Queensland Derby.”
Anderson is confident the gear change will help Profit, who has missed a place only once in his career.
“He trialled well without the blinkers when he won at Eagle Farm a few weeks ago,” he said.
“He’s got to carry 59kgs and Brad Stewart will ride him.”
Profit was in contention for the Sydney autumn carnival before Anderson decided to stay at home for the winter carnival.
Instead, Anderson will rely on stablemate Ballistic Boy to represent the stable in the south.
“Ballistic Boy will run in the Group 3 Carbine Stakes on April 4 if all goes well with travel arrangements we could face during the coronavirus period,” he said.
Ballistic Boy, a Brad Stewart mount, took his record to two wins from nine starts when he was successful over 1400 metres at Eagle Farm on March 7.
As a two-year-old, Ballistic Boy raced in top company during last year’s Brisbane winter carnival finishing fifth in the Group 2 BRC Sires' Produce Stakes (1400m) before finishing ninth in the Group 1 J J Atkins in June last year.
Ballistic Boy raced in Sydney last October when he finished ninth in the $1 million Bondi Stakes (1600m) at Randwick.
Racing Queensland webnews March 19