Tumbler Ridge to continue O'Dea and Hoysted's stellar season

By Glenn Davis

Steve O’Dea and Matt Hoysted are having a season to remember and hope it will continue when Tumbler Ridge lines up in the Listed Lough Neagh Stakes at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

The Eagle Farm partnership currently sits second with 25 wins in the metropolitan trainers’ premiership, 18 wins behind eight-time premiership winner Tony Gollan.

O’Dea and Hoysted have been consistently training winners since the start of the new season in August and have notched up three wins from their past six starters.

Tumbler Ridge is having only his third start this campaign and is coming off a last start second to Tambo’s Mate in the Listed Recognition Stakes at Doomben two weeks ago.

“He’s a very good chance on the back of his last run in the Recognition when he was just beaten by Tambo’s Mate,” Hoysted said.

“He’s come back this campaign in super form and he’s got a really good record at Eagle Farm.

“He always races well at Eagle Farm and he’s the right horse for the track.”

Tumbler Ridge is a home-bred and is ineligible for the Magic Millions next month but that hasn’t stopped the O’Dea and Hoysted team of chasing further riches over the TAB Queensland Summer Racing Carnival.

“We’ll make a call after he runs tomorrow but there’s a chance he could back up in the Bernborough Handicap,” Hoysted said.

The Bernborough Handicap is another Listed race run over 1600 metres at Doomben on Sunday week.

Hoysted believes the Chris Munce-trained Stampe and talented five-year-old Profit who is resuming from a spell, look the main dangers from the locals.

“Tricky Gal is an interesting runner from down south but it’s hard to line up her form but Stampe and Profit look to be our biggest dangers,” Hoysted said.

Stampe has placed in two of his three starts this campaign including a last start third to star sprinter Zoustyle in the Group 3 George Moore Stakes at Doomben on December 4.

“He’s been racing really well and is close to a win,” Munce said.

Munce is shaping for a big day as he also has strong claims with Rhapsody Rose in the Listed Gold Edition Stakes over 1200 metres.

Munce is yet to train a winner of the Lough Neagh Stakes but was successful in his riding days scoring on the late Kelso Wood-trained Zero Rock in 2010.