Decision looms for Godolphin after Ghisoni wins Glenlogan Stakes
WE’LL never know if smart three-year-old Ghisoni would have won the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 had connections gone that way, but the 2016 Stradbroke Handicap could be on the cards after an impressive victory in the Glenlogan Park Stakes at Doomben on Saturday.
The Godolphin filly had a tricky outside barrier, but punters had been confident all week. They bet the daughter of Lonhro into $1.60 at Sportsbet.com.au before it drifted late to pay $1.90. It jumped well from barrier 10 and sat outside Blueberry Hill on the speed.
Ghisoni, with jockey James McDonald, had the field chasing around the home turn as they quickly put pay to Blueberry Hill with only Cradle Me putting up some sort of fight in the concluding stages. The win confirmed what both James McDonald and Team Godolphin knew about the promising filly.
“She’s magic,” McDonald said with a cheeky grin. “Her whole career we always thought she was good, onward and upwards!
“I think her best career performance was when she was luckless [last start in the Group 1 Arrowfield]. If I got out we would have destroyed them.”
McDonald was asked on track whether the filly should contest the Stradbroke Handicap on June 11, or stick to its own grade.
“For my sake I hope she sticks to her own sex. She could do anything,” he said.
Stable representative and former champion jockey Darren Beadman was on hand and his pre-race confidence was justified by the win. A possible Stradbroke Handicap run could be on the cards where it is currently a $9 chance at Sportsbet.com.au.
“Hang on, I’ll ring Johny [John O’Shea about a Stradbroke decision],” Beadman quipped. “I’m sure he’ll just let the dust settle, couple of options there.”
The leaders have dominated the early part of the Doomben card with all three winners sitting on the speed.
“She’s better ridden just off the speed with a little bit of cover with an electrifying turn-of-foot. She was strong.
“She has run the time. I got told this time hasn’t been run in 18 years and she was strong on the line which is positive,” Beadman said.
“James has always had a huge opinion of her, she’s adorable.
Beadman is confident about the chances of Souchez in the Sires’ Produce Stakes at 2:42pm. The three-year-old is another strong type by Lonhro and punters have backed it into clear favouritism at $2.30 with Sportsbet.
“He came out of that last run well,” Beadman said.