Godolphin’s English import Home Of The Brave has fought off a minor health scare to be back in favour for the Group 1 $1.5m Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 8.
Home Of The Brave, above, is back in contention for the 2019 Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm. Photo by Steve Hart.
Trainer James Cummings was forced to scratch Home Of The Brave from last Saturday’s Group 1 $700,000 Kingsford-Smith Cup (1300m) at Eagle Farm after he was showing an elevated temperature but the seven year old showed no signs of the setback with Larry Cassidy steering him to an all the way win in a 1000m barrier trial at Deagon this morning.
Home Of The Brave was also nominated for this weekend’s Group 2 $200,000 Sky Racing Moreton Cup (1200m) at Doomben but stable representative Nacim Dilmi indicated that the import would most likely now head straight to the Stradbroke Handicap on Saturday week.
“We asked Larry to give him a good trial without overdoing it and he was very happy with him,” Dilmi told RadioTab.
“He ran a very slick time and Larry said he had plenty left going to the post.
“He quickly led in the trial, within 100m he was straight to the front.
“The horse travelled strongly and did it comfortably.”
Home Of The Brave has won once from four starts since arriving in Australia for a victory in the Group 2 $200,000 Theo Marks Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill during the 20118 Sydney Spring Carnival.
Cummings gave Home Of The Brave a light Sydney Autumn Carnival preparation with only one appearance for a seventh to stablemate Trekking in the Group 3 $160,000 Hall Mark Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on April 20.
Home Of The Brave is well in contention in the betting for the Stradbroke Handicap at $11 with Ladbrokes.com.au behind Kingsford-Smith Cup winner The Bostonian at $5, Trekking at $8 and The Goodwood winner Despatch at $10.
Early betting for the 2019 Stradbroke Handicap at Ladbrokes.com.au: $5 The Bostonian, $8 Trekking, $10 Despatch, $11 Home Of The Brave, $12 Tyzone, $13 Invincibella, Prompt Response, Spright, $15 Con Te Partiro, Encryption, Victorem, Viridine, Widgee Turf, Winter Bride, $17 Dollar For Dollar, Outback Barbie, $21 Dubious, I Am Excited, Princess Posh, Ringerdingding, Tactical Advantage, Tom Melbourne, Violate, $26 or better the rest.
The post Home Of The Brave back in favour for 2019 Stradbroke Handicap appeared first on HorseRacing.com.au.
