Trainer Tony Gollan’s two runners, Frespanol and Brazen Moss, were both out of luck at the barrier draw for the Listed $100,000 Brisbane Handicap (1600m) at Doomben on Saturday.
Frespanol, above, has drawn a wide barrier in the Brisbane Handicap at Doomben. Photo by Steve Hart.
Brazen Moss with Jim Byrne booked to ride drew the better of the two at barrier eleven in the fifteen horse Brisbane Handicap field while Frespanol with Michael Rodd in the saddle will jump from one from the outside in fourteen.
Gollan said that his pair would have to be at their very best if they were to match it with the short priced favourite Crack Me Up but now the wide gates have made it even tougher.
“I think the Brisbane Handicap is an open race if you take out the favourite, Crack Me Up,” Gollan told Racing Queensland News
“Crack Me Up was very dominant the way he won the Recognition and I think my two will have their work cut out against him but they deserve their chance.
“Both of them will be suited by 1600 metres but they’ve had no luck with the barriers.”
Frespanol, sixth, and Brazen Moss, tenth, were both well beaten last start when they finished behind Crack Me Up in the Listed $100,000 Recognition Stakes (1350m) at Doomben on November 25 and the Liam Birchley trained four year is the one to beat again from barrier four with Matt McGillivray in the saddle again.
Another good performance from Crack Me Up will see the Mossman gelding head to Sydney for the Group 2 $250,000 Villiers Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday week.
Crack Me Up dominates the betting for the Brisbane Handicap at $2.30 with Ladbrokes.com.au, well ahead of his nearest rival, the Toby Edmonds trained Zahspeed at $7.50, while Brazen Moss is marked at $21 and Frespanol is listed as a $26 chance.
Zahspeed is working his way up through the grades and was a winner two starts back in a 1640m Handicap at Doomben on November 4 before finishing third in an 1800m BenchMark 87 Handicap at Rosehill on November 25.