Racing: Carnival hopefuls appear well placed

BRISBANE - Patinack Farm has rolled the dice and will take the soft option in a bid to boost the bank balance of three of its winter carnival hopefuls at Eagle Farm today.

Trainer John Thompson has bigger plans ahead for youngsters Levi's Choice who runs in the Ambassador Travel Handicap (1400m) and Dance Of The Ocean in the the www.brc.com.au Maiden Plate (1200m), while 3-year-old Mother's Milk will start in the ASM Handicap (1400m).

Levi's Choice was also nominated for the A$100,000 Listed Hampden Stakes (1200m) at Doomben on Saturday but Thompson preferred the midweek option for the son of Galileo who is being directed towards next month's group one TJ Smith (1600m) at Eagle Farm.

Thompson also preferred Dance Of The Ocean to make her debut at Eagle Farm, instead of a Maiden Plate (1100m) at the Gold Coast on Saturday.

Levi's Choice arrived at Patinack Farm's Gold Coast stables last week after his third to Offshore Sham over 1200m at Hawkesbury on May 1.

"He's been here a week and has settled in well," Patinack Farm's assistant trainer Toby Edmonds said yesterday. "He looks a nice horse and I haven't had to do much with him since his arrival.

"We've decided to run him tomorrow because he's looking for 1400m and Saturday's race may be a bit short as it's only 1200m.

"All going well, both 2-year-olds will head towards the Sires' Produce Stakes and Levi's Choice has been nominated as well for the TJ Smith."

Patinack Farm won last year's TJ Smith with Linky Dink when the filly was prepared by Jason Coyle.

Levi's Choice went down by less than two lengths in his debut at Hawkesbury but many believed he should have won after he blundered twice and raced greenly in the straight.

Dance Of The Ocean has been with Edmonds a little longer than her stablemate and has has two barrier trials since coming north.

After placing in trials at Hawkesbury and Warwick Farm in December, the daughter of Danzero won a 1000m trial at the Gold Coast on April 6 before a game second over 1100m at Eagle Farm two weeks later.

Edmonds expects a strong showing from Levi's Choice but is wary about Dance Of The Ocean's prospects on debut. "Levi's Choice has a good barrier [three] and should run well, but I'm not sure whether Dance Of The Ocean may need a bit of time."

Mother's Milk, a last-start second on the cushion track at Caloundra, is being aimed at the Queensland Oaks (2400m) at Eagle Farm on June 5.

The daughter of Savabeel has A$23,550 in prizemoney from a win and two seconds in her six-start career.

"Unfortunately, she missed running at Eagle Farm last Wednesday and she needs some prizemoney if she's to run in the Oaks," Edmonds said.

* Sydney trainer Grahame Begg is hopeful Handsupfordetroit can recapture some of his best form when he resumes from a spell at Randwick today.

Handsupfordetroit showed plenty of talent early in his career but "lost his way" last preparation with four below-par performances.

He resumes in the Maroubra Handicap (1100m) on the Kensington track with apprentice Brenton Avdulla to offset the 59.5kg impost with his 1.5kg claim.

Handsupfordetroit won two of his first four starts and finished second in the other two, including when runner-up to Nicconi in the Listed Wellington Racing Club Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield in February last year.

He also contested the group two D'Urban Stakes at Caulfield and the group one Randwick Guineas.

However, after finishing third first-up in his next preparation, Handsupfordetroit failed to fire in four subsequent starts and was sent for a spell.

Begg said the indications were that the 4-year-old could be back on track.

"He ran well first-up last preparation but then his form tapered off and he lost his way terribly," Begg said.

"We really don't know what to put it down to, but he just didn't look right either. We weren't happy with the way he looked so we turned him out, gave him a long spell and he's come back in great order."

The Randwick trainer has given Handsupfordetroit two trials to get him ready for his first-up assignment today.

"He's drawn well [barrier two] and we are just hopeful that he can recapture some of his old form," the trainer said.

"If he can do that he'll be competitive."

- AAP