Kendrick quintet head to Eagle Farm

By Glenn Davis

Trainer Stu Kendrick is hopeful of pointing punters in the right direction when he saddles a team of five starters at Eagle Farm on Wednesday.

Prior to the barrier draw, Kendrick was confident Finnicky was his best chance in the Maiden Handicap over 1200 metres but now believes the four-year-old mare will need some luck after drawing the outside gate 10.

Finnicky, a daughter of Nicconi, has only started twice and is coming off a last start second to the Rob Heathcote-trained Kaliya over 1200 metres at Doomben on June 16.

Kendrick believes Finnicky has a bright future and will come back a better mare next preparation.

“Had she drawn better she would have been my best chance,” Kendrick said.

“She’ll need some luck now from her wide draw, but her last run was very good when she flew home to run second.

“She’s got a nice pedigree being by Nicconi and there’s a lot of improvement to come from her.

“I’m hopeful she’ll still be very competitive and she can go through the grades when she comes back from a break next preparation.”

Kendrick’s other four runners are Starhatten in the QTIS Two-Year-Old Plate (1200m), Right Reason (QTIS Three-Year-Old Maiden Plate), He Can Star (Benchmark 72 Handicap) and Bacchus in the Benchmark 68 Handicap.

Kendrick expects He Can Star will be better suited over 1000 metres after being forced to drop back to 900 metres when third to Devil’s Temptation at the Gold Coast on June 12.

The five-year-old is having only his third start for Kendrick after recording four wins on the Victorian provincial circuit before being sent north.

“Her won well over 1000 metres at home first-up for me but we had to drop him back to 900 metres last run when he was caught a little wide,” Kendrick said.

“He’ll be a lot better off if he can find the lead and get into his rhythm tomorrow.”

Kendrick has retained former Victorian rider Noel Callow for He Can Star.

“Noel has been doing a bit of riding for me lately and we’re having some luck together,” Kendrick said.

“I’m not sure what level He Can Star will get too but he looks a handy horse and hopefully we can win a few races with him up here.”

Kendrick also expects another Callow mount Right Reason to be competitive after a fast finishing fifth to Lorna Doone in a 1400-metre maiden at the Sunshine Coast on June 18.

Kendrick won’t be a major player on his home track at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday and for the first time in several years won’t have a runner in the major features -, the Winx Guineas Glasshouse Handicap or Caloundra Cup.