Promising gelding Amexed impressed trainer Tony Gollan with a strong piece of work at Eagle Farm this morning ahead of the 2014 Grand Prix Stakes at Doomben on Saturday.
Amexed will be chasing his second straight win when he contests the 2014 Grand Prix Stakes at Doomben on Saturday.
Amexed took six race starts to break his maiden, but has found winning form this preparation and stamped himself as a legitimate contender for the Group 1 Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm on June 7 with a narrow win over Telepathic and Glorious Lad in the Group 3 Rough Habit Plate (2000m) at Doomben on May 10.
Gollan told Racing Ahead that Amexed has taken plenty of improvement out of his strong win in the Rough Habit Plate and said that he could not be happier with the condition of the Pentire gelding heading into the Grand Prix Stakes this weekend.
“He is still on that upward spiral of his preparation,” Gollan said.
“He had his first go-out to the 2000 and most horses improve nicely off that and he has certainly showed that.
“He has tightened up nicely off that run in the Rough Habit and I couldn’t be more pleased with him off his work this morning and his demeanor heading into this weekend’s race.
“He is just a really nice horse and he has shown us good ability from the get go.
“It is only his second racing prep and he is a pretty new three-year-old.
“He is a horse with a lot in front of him and a really good prospect for the stable.”
Amexed is set to face a similar field to the one that he faced in the Rough Habit Plate when he contests the Grand Prix Stakes and trainer Donna Logan has confirmed that runner-up Telepathic will contest the Group 3 event this weekend.
Telepathic missed the Group 1 Australian Oaks (2400m) during the 2014 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival due to a minor setback, but according to Logan has just as much ability as Rising Romance and is sure to have taken plenty of benefit out of her impressive Australian racing debut.
Rough Habit Plate third placegetter Glorious Lad is also set to back-up in the Grand Prix Stakes and will also be having his second race start in Australia.
Glorious Lad was a consistent performer behind Puccini and Rising Romance during the Summer Carnival in New Zealand will be stepping out beyond 2000 metres for the first time since he finished third in the Group 1 New Zealand Derby (2400m).
Arabian Gold and Telepathic are both vying for 2014 Queensland Derby favouritism and are available at a quote of $4.20, while Amexed is priced at Queensland Derby odds of $7.
