Trainer Stuart Kendrick hopes to end frustrating city run

By Glenn Davis

Trainer Stuart Kendrick is hopeful of ending a frustrating run of outs in the metropolitan area when he heads to Ipswich on Wednesday.

Kendrick has saddled up two city winners since the start of the season but has had 11 placings and six fourths.

“It’s been frustrating and we just need a little bit of luck,” Kendrick said.

Kendrick is hopeful luck will come his way with Altar Boy in the QTIS Three-Year-Old Benchmark 62 Handicap over 1350 metres and Not Another in the Class 1 Handicap over the same distance.

Kendrick, who has won the past nine Sunshine Coast trainers’ premierships, also has accepted with Knockknee in the Benchmark 68 Handicap over 1100 metres, but has declared her a doubtful starter after drawing poorly.

“Unless there’s a lot of scratchings, Knockknee probably won’t start and Not Another looks my best chance,” Kendrick said.

Not Another has been racing consistently with three placings from her past four starts including a last start second in a 1200 metre Class 1 on a heavy track on her home track at the Sunshine Coast on October 2.

“Her last run was very good and she only just got bobbed out,” Kendrick said.

“She’s been racing very consistently and she’s always thereabouts.”

Kendrick has freshened up Altar Boy following his last start effort when he beat one runner home in the Toowoomba Guineas on September 24.

Altar Boy - who will be ridden by Andrew Mallyon - hails from North Queensland, where he was a two time winner in nine starts for Sarah Acornley.

The son of The Mission was placed on debut for Kendrick in a 1630 metre Benchmark race at Doomben and has a good record with two seconds and as many thirds on soft tracks.

The only time he has missed a place in his 11 start career was in the Toowoomba Guineas.

“Altar Boy’s only had a couple of starts for me and he was disappointing in the Toowoomba Guineas,” Kendrick said.

“I’ve freshened him up since then and his work has been good so he’s in with a chance this time.”

Kendrick won last season’s Queensland provincial trainers’ premiership with 71 wins and also finished fourth with 87 wins in last season’s Queensland trainers’ premiership.

He was just outside the top 10 in the Brisbane trainers’ premiership with 16 wins.

Kendrick has trained 10 provincial winners since the start of the current season but has gone close a number of times finishing second 15 times while he finished third on 23 other occasions.