Tougher than expected debut for Il Riccio
Recent barrier trial winner Il Riccio makes his race debut at the Sunshine Coast in a race that is harder than trainer Tony Gollan would have liked.
Il Riccio clocked a slick 46.25 seconds in a trial at Deagon which he won by 8-1/2 lengths on April 12.
Gollan said if he had another option, Il Riccio would not have been entered for Saturday’s race.
“Ideally we would have run him in a Wednesday or a Friday race,” Gollan said.
“But there was nothing suitable so he has to make his debut in a race chock-full of horses being aimed to the winter carnival.
“We all know with two-year-olds that experience is a very big bonus. But for all that he is a nice horse who will be competitive,” Gollan said.
The field includes Charnley River, Sundance and Mister Rupert who have all trialled well.
Sundance was one of the stars of the early-season Brisbane two-year-old races and trainer Toby Edmonds took him to Grafton for an open company trial last week.
“I was worried about a wet track at the Gold Coast trials and took him to Grafton. He ran second in smart time and he seems back near his best,” Edmonds said.
The Bjorn Baker-trained Winning Rupert has trialled four times for wins at Rosehill and most recently at Kembla Grange.
Charnley River, a full brother to Group One winner Woorim, won a recent Caloundra trial and trainer Stuart Kendrick is looking for him to improve as the distances get longer.