Bruce hopes to book end Doomben meeting

By Glenn Davis

Jack Bruce will have his biggest stable representation at any meeting since taking out his trainer’s licence 14 months ago when he saddles up seven starters at Doomben on Wednesday.

Bruce is regarded as one of the rising stars among Queensland’s training ranks and is making a rapid expansion with two training bases at Deagon and the Sunshine Coast.

He has 24 horses in work at Deagon on Brisbane’s northern outskirts and a further 20 horses in work at the Sunshine Coast.

Bruce cut his teeth in the racing game working as a foreman for Sydney’s Bjorn Baker and Melbourne’s Ciaron Maher and David Eustace.

He was the foreman for co-trainers Maher and Eustace when the all-conquering stable claimed last year’s Magic Millions Classic with Coolangatta, who is currently in England for the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 20.

Bruce is hopeful of book ending the meeting with Kai Tak in the maiden plate over 1200 metres and Wegobam in the Benchmark 70 Handicap over 1350 metres.

“I think Kai Tak is probably my best chance closely followed by Wegobam,” Bruce said.

Kai Tak – a Ben Thompson mount – was formerly trained in Sydney by Baker and made his stable debut for Bruce finishing a game second to the Matt Dunn-trained Emperor in a 1050 metre maiden at Doomben in the middle of May.

“I think Emperor is a very promising horse and Kai Tak ran well behind him,” Bruce said.

“Kai Tak has drawn well again and the aim with her is to win a city race as she’s got a nice pedigree.”

Wegobam – a Samantha Collett mount – is chasing a hat-trick of wins and is drawn perfectly in barrier four.

Her last two wins were at Ipswich including her latest performance on a heavy track in a benchmark race on May 17.

The rising six-year-old fought out a tight finish with the Matt Dunn-trained Crazy Train in a 1200 metre Benchmark race last start before grabbing the upper hand on the line.

The daughter of Sebring started her career in Victoria, winning two races for Leon and Troy Corstens before being moved on to Bruce at the start of the year for her last six starts.

“She’s owned in Melbourne and she was sent to me to win a race in the city,” Bruce said.

“She’s up in grade but she’ll only have a couple more runs before she goes to stud at the end of the season.

“She went through the recent Magic Millions broodmare sale but didn’t make her reserve.

“She needed a good draw to be effective and now she’s got it.”