Team Brett have eyes on Group 1 Gold Bullion

By Alex Nolan

Tony Brett’s Queensland Derby winners have a knack of going on to bigger and better things.

Black Enforcer (2005) won a Topgun, Flash Reality (2014) took out a Winter Cup and Brett is certain Sentenced (2020) would have gone on to perform well at the highest level had his career not been cut short.

Brett’s fourth and latest derby winner, Just A Sort, will now attempt to join that upper echelon when he and kennel mate What A Debacle go in search for an express pass into next month’s Group 1 Gold Bullion through the Group 3 Golden Ticket series, starting at Albion Park on Thursday night.  

The Golden Ticket features four 520-metre heats comprising four runners per heat, with the top two going through to contest four two-dog match races in the final.

The winner of the $60,000 Final will be determined by the fastest overall time on the night and earns them direct entry into next month’s big Group 1 Final.

Brett labelled Just A Sort the most improved dog in Queensland when he beat Cincinatti Bill to claim the 520-metre Derby in 29.75 seconds.

Just A Sort jumps from box five (third from the inside) and will meet Little Byrnes, Extra Malt and Fernando Beach in heat two of the series, which comes up in race four. 

“His Derby run puts him up in that class where it’s worth having a go at these types of races,” Brett said.

“He’s running the sort of times that if he can find the front, they’ll have to work hard to run him down.”

Brett eased up on Just A Sort after his Queensland Derby triumph and considered taking the son of Aston Dee Bee to Sydney for the National Derby.

However, with bumper prize money and a home track advantage, Brett has leaned towards a Golden Ticket and Gold Bullion campaign.

“If he can roll to the front and provided he runs up to his 29.75 (seconds) then the dogs looking to beat him probably have to run in the 29.60 seconds,” Brett said.

“We know Extra Malt can do that but she will need a clear run and everything to go her way. His front running style gives him an edge.”

What A Debacle arrives at the Golden Ticket after a heat of the Group 2 Golden Sands over 600 metres, where he led but failed to run out the journey.

A likely leader on paper, What A Debacle will be looking to stave off three strong finishers in the shape of Impact, Sunshine Delight and Kooringa Lucy, when he contests race six. 

“He’s going to have to lead from from box one which I think he can,” Brett said.

“He’s probably not running the times he ran this time last year so he’ll just need to be high balling in front.”

Brett is also looking forward to the return of Group 3 Rockhampton Cup winner Orchestrate, who has overcome a frustrating run of injuries and returns in the Mixed Third and Fourth Grade, where he’ll jump from box eight. 

Orchestrate hasn’t been seen on the track since running sixth on Ipswich Cup night and Brett has warned punters he is likely to need the run, before setting his sights on the Gold Bullion.

“The timing coming into the Bullion is right for him,” Brett said.

“He has come back really nicely, although he’s only had a post-to-post trial, and Thursday night will be his first full 520-metre race.

“I did nominate him for the Ticket but knowing he was a fourth-grader I nominated for this race to ensure he gets a run.”

It will be a late night for Brett at Albion Park, with Bubbles And Brie rounding out his team in race 12, the Masters Fifth Grade.

Brett said Bubbles And Brie – a daughter of Brett’s Group 1 winner Thirty Talks – is nearing the end of her racing career and is set to become a mum in the near future.

“She had a little let-up with light injury but her couple of runs back have been really good,” he said.