The Snowden Racing Team expect Calanda to strip a much fitter conveyance when he lines up in the Group 3 $175,000 W.J. Healy Stakes (1200m) at Doomben on Saturday.

Calanda, above, has been given the top weight for the 2018 W.J. Healy Stakes at Doomben. Photo by Steve Hart.

Calanda, above, has been given the top weight for the 2018 W.J. Healy Stakes at Doomben. Photo by Steve Hart.

Calanda is one of twenty-one sprinters nominated for the W.J. Healy Stakes and stable representative Nikki Hodgson said that Snitzel gelding has taken a lot of improvement out of his first up run that saw him finished third behind The Monstar and Platinum Angel in the Group 2 $175,000 Moreton Cup (1200m) at the Sunshine Coast on June 2.

“He has done really well since his run at the Sunshine Coast. He was first up that day and he was always going to improve,” Hodgson told Sky Racing.

“He has been up here a while now and the warmer weather they do well when they come up here, it’s a bit warmer.”

“He has improved and he will be hard to beat.”

“He is a big horse and does well so the run is always going to improve him.”

Calanda has been given the top weight of 59kg, 3kg more than his neatest rivals Bassett and Upstart Pride.

Team Snowden has also nominated I Thought So for the W.J. Healy Stakes and the So You Think four year old will also strip much fitter following a first up second in the $100,000 The Main Shake Handicap (1100m) followed by a third in the Listed $150,000 June Stakes (1100m) both at Randwick.

I Thought So is also entered for the $100,000 Winter Dash (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday.

Caulfield trainer Mick Price has nominated Bassett for the W.J. Healy Stakes and is hoping the gelding can figure in the major end of the prizemoney after missing out on the minor prizemoney at three runs during the 2018 Queensland Winter Racing Carnival, his latest a fourth to I’m A Rippa in the Listed $175,000 City Of Ipswich Eye Liner Stakes (1350m) at Ipswich last Saturday.

Nominations for the 2018 W.J. Healy Stakes (1200m)

# Last 10 Horse Sex Age Trainer Ballot Weight Hcp Rating
1 11x84241x3 CALANDA G 4 Peter & Paul Snowden 1 59kg 103
2 3x90x10866 SPRIGHT M 4 Garry Frazer 2 55kg 99
3 88×8443554 BASSETT (NZ) G 5 Mick Price 3= 56kg 97
4 x2930410x6 UPSTART PRIDE G 6 Michael Nolan 3= 56kg 97
5 x0287x1414 IRISH CONSTABULARY G 9 John Symons & Sheila Laxon 5 55kg 95
6 1111×21721 GRACIDA H 6 David Vandyke 6= 54.5kg 94
7 x20x380x24 SNOOPY G 5 Chris Munce 6= 54.5kg 94
8 4223270×23 I THOUGHT SO G 4 Peter & Paul Snowden 8= 54kg 93
9 5x3317x307 SYLPHEED M 4 Toby Edmonds 8= 54kg 93
10 1x16x12x26 TUMBLER M 6 Barry Lockwood 10 54kg 92
11 11x336x715 HAVASAY G 5 Liam Birchley 11 54kg 91
12 26x111132x MALVERN ESTATE G 4 Desleigh Forster 12= 54kg 90
13 1x04436x65 STELLA OMBRA G 5 Kelly Schweida 12= 54kg 90
14 12879x248x HIEROGLYPHICS M 6 Stuart Kendrick 14= 54kg 89
15 33×9944343 SONY LEGEND G 7 Brian Smith 14= 54kg 89
16 0x52122737 BOOMWAA G 6 Ben Currie 16= 54kg 86
17 x6953648x0 COLOUR CHARGE G 7 Natalie McCall 16= 54kg 86
18 53x261x230 O’RACHAEL M 4 Toby Edmonds 18 54kg 83
19 x306x457x6 GIBRALTAR GIRL M 4 Mark Newnham 19 54kg 82
20 5×73174145 BEAT STREET G 5 Stuart Kendrick 20 54kg 81
21 321x132x32 EXCEEDINGLY G 7 Gillian Heinrich & Ben Rodgers 21 54kg 75

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.