Poster Girl set to return for Munce stable

By Glenn Davis

Co-trainer Chris Munce is keeping a close watch on the weather ahead of talented filly Poster Girl’s return at the Sunshine Coast on Wednesday.

Chris, who trains in partnership with his son Corey, accepted with Poster Girl in the Class 1 Plate over 1200 metres as well as Devine Force in the QTIS Three-Year-Old Benchmark 65 Handicap over 1000 metres.

However, Chris has taken out insurance against impending bad weather and a track downgrade from its current Soft 5 rating by also nominating Poster Girl for Doomben on Friday.

“I would have preferred to run on Friday but we might be in for some bad weather later in the week so we may run on Wednesday with Poster Girl,” Chris said.

Chris has always had a good opinion of Poster Girl who hasn’t started since running in the Listed Bill Carter Stakes at Doomben last May.

The Grand Slam-winning jockey has pencilled in a Queensland Racing Carnival campaign for the daughter of Alabama Express who has mixed it with the best in her brief five start career.

Poster Girl made an immediate impact to her career by winning on debut at the Sunshine Coast in November of 2023 which put her on a path to last year’s Magic Millions Classic at the Gold Coast.

The filly also produced a gutsy second to the eventual Magic Millions Classic winner Storm Boy in the Group 3 B.J. McLachlan Stakes at Eagle Farm before a brave sixth in her two-year-old grand final at the Gold Coast last year.

After being sent for a break following her first preparation, Poster Girl had one run last winter when beaten almost 10 lengths by the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Clean Energy in the Listed Bill Carter at Doomben in May. 

“She beat Barbie’s Sister at her first start and later ran second to Storm Boy in the Bruce McLachlan,” Chris said.

“She ran well in the Magic Millions but she was still growing and was sore all over when she came back for her next preparation so I spelled her after the Bill Carter.”

Chris has booked Irish jockey Siobhan Rutledge to partner Poster Girl while fellow Irishman Martin Harley will ride stablemate Devine Force.

Rutledge has only been in Australia for a few months but has ridden four winners including her first city success for 'Team Munce' aboard Chief Witness at Doomben last month.

The stable is unlikely to start Device Force if the track is downgraded to heavy.

Devine Force hasn’t started since finishing sixth in a Benchmark race at Ipswich last October.

“I like racing at Caloundra as it’s a good track but if the rain comes I probably won’t run Device Force,” Chris said.