A repeat barrier bungle by Srikandi at Doomben this Saturday could see her ruin her chances again in the Group 1 $750,000 James Boag’s Premium Doomben 10000 (1350m).
Trainer Ciaron Maher is hoping Srikandi, above, gets a clean getaway in the Doomben 10000 at Doomben. Photo by Daniel Costello.
Srikandi was sent out the second favourite for the Group 1 $500,000 UBET BTC Cup (1200m) at Doomben on May 9 but blew all her chances at the start when she walked out of the barriers.
Instead of being in the first four, Damian Browne had to settle the Ciaron Maher trained mare in the second half of the field and from there was never in the race.
Maher said that Srikandi had pulled up well after her seven lengths eighth behind Hot Snitzel in the BTC Cup and he is hoping the barrier mishap was a one off.
“She seemed to be fine after the last run and it’s full steam ahead,’’ Maher told The Courier-Mail.
“But the bottom line is, I think we have got to put her performance in the BTC Cup down to her simply having an off day. Every good horse is entitled to one bad run.”
Maher was considering experimenting with a barrier blanket for this Saturday but the rules state that the mare must first wear one in a jumpout or a barrier trial before being allowed to use one on race day.
But the Caulfield trainer preferred to stick with his plan of giving Srikandi her final hit out for Saturday’s Doomben 10,000 at morning trackwork in preference to jumping out of the barriers and dismissed the barrier blanket idea.
“We would have probably liked to use the barrier blanket on her on Saturday but we don’t want to change things up too much with her preparations,” Maher said.
“It is what it is. She has never missed the start like that before and I’m sure she will be fine on Saturday.’’
Srikandi was one of the stars of the 2014 Winter Carnival which saw her win the Listed $150,000 Silk Stocking (1200m) at the Gold Coast, the Listed $100,000 Juanmo Stakes (1200m) and the Group 3 $150,000 Glenlogan Park Stakes (1350m) at Doomben before running third to River Lad in the Group 1 $1.36m Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm.
The Dubawi mare showed that she was on track for another successful Queensland Winter Carnival campaign when she toyed with her opposition in winning the Group 2 $200,000 SMEG Victory Stakes (1200m) at the Gold Coast on April 25.
BTC Cup favourite Our Boy Malachi raced on the pace before finishing third and is sharing the top spot in the Doomben 10000 market order at $5.50.
The Peter Moody trained Bring Me The Maid made ground up along the fence to finish fourth in the BTC Cup and is marked at $11 alongside of the John O’Shea pair of Generalife and Knoydart.
