The Vowels facing a “fork in the road moment”

By Jordan Gerrans

Trent Edmonds has described Saturday’s Group 2 Queensland Guineas as a “fork in the road moment” in the career path of the white-hot The Vowels.

The son of Better Than Ready is one of the more in-form gallopers in the Sunshine State, peeling off a handful of victories in a row dating back to the first day of 2023.

After winning his maiden black-type race earlier this month in the Listed Daybreak Lover, The Vowels will be out to keep the ball rolling in Saturday’s mile event for three-year-olds.

The Gold Coast-based Edmonds – who trains in partnership with his father Toby – is torn about where their progressive gelding will head following Saturday’s Guineas.

The Vowels is rated as a $6.50 chance in the $350,000 race as of Friday morning, with the Edmonds’ having much bigger plans for the gelding if he can extend his winning ways on Saturday.

“Saturday is a bit of a fork in the road moment, really,” Trent explained.

“If he was to win well, we could extend him in distance and try and target a Queensland Derby with him being three and against his own age group.

“Or, do we have a crack at a Stradbroke off a freshen up and back in distance.

“We are unsure whether if he will be brilliant enough for a Stradbroke but he would get in with a very lightweight, if that was the case, and that could offset that.

“Saturday is a big fork in the road moment and I suppose we just need to play the waiting game, result pending.”

The Queensland Derby has received a prize money boost, now worth $1 million in 2023, while the Stradbroke Handicap will once again act as the crowning jewel of the carnival, with the Group 1 being run for $3 million this year.

The Vowels is unbeaten in five trips to the races this year and is an ultimate professional on race day.

But, for those that watch track work of a morning at Aquis Park, they would see a different version of The Vowels.

Toby Edmonds noted following a recent victory that The Vowels gets beaten by maiden gallopers in his morning spins around the Bundall track while Trent described him as an “ordinary track worker”.

“I can’t get a guide on him, but he is a good racehorse,” Toby said.

Trent referred to him as “very laid back” and that he was a horse that only did what he had to in his trials or track work.

That was underlined by a recent trial at Beaudesert where senior hoop Andrew Mallyon was forced to ask The Vowels for an effort on a few occasions as he was just labouring in the 1050 metre hit out.

“It is very hard to get a guide on him,” Trent said.

“It is not something you would like to see from a horse that you think is going to feature in winter carnival races.

“But, that is just how he is and we have learned to trust the process with him.

“We trust now that he will turn up on race day and give his best.”

The reigning Brisbane champion jockey James Orman is unbeaten on The Vowels and retains the job for Saturday’s assignment.

The 26-year-old Orman has a serious task on his hands in the Group 2 event after The Vowels was handed the outside gate of 16.

The Edmonds’ and Orman have both said this week that they will need to have a deep discussion around their plans for the race but the leading hoop remarked that he would prefer to just go back from the gate and ride for luck in the straight, if he was to make the decision himself.

“At the end of the day I trust Toby and if he wants me to try and find a spot instead of going back, I will do that,” Orman said.

As well as their Queensland Racing Carnival hopes on Saturday, the Edmonds’ also have feature racing ambitions in Central Queensland the following day.

The camp presented with Stradbroke Handicap-winning gelding Tyzone in the inaugural running of The Archer out of Rockhampton last year and return in 2023 with Alpine Edge.

The Edmonds’ are more than happy to support the slot race concept by the Central Queensland Amateur Racing Club.

“I think it is brilliant and it is only going to get better,” Trent said.

“The first year was a pretty good race.

“I really like the concept and creates a good bit of interest for Central Queensland racing.”

Alpine Edge was a Magic Millions day winner earlier this year before heading to the paddock for a short freshen up.

He returned in the Listed Ascot Handicap a fortnight ago where he raced without a front plate on as he tossed one off going onto the track at Eagle Farm.

“He goes to the race at the peak of his powers,” Trent said. 

“He is really well and this preparation he has been trouble free.

“All being well, he is going to go up there and race well and give a good account of himself.

“I do not think the Rockhampton track will pose any concerns for him, hopefully he can find his feet and let rip to the line and hopefully he is good enough.”

As well as The Vowels and Alpine Edge, the Edmonds’ have high hopes for Me Me Lagarde throughout the winter, aiming to get the four-year-old mare to the Tatt’s Tiara at Eagle Farm.