Racing: Kiwi raiders stamp mark on rich Queensland carnival

SYDNEY - La Sizeranne might join Gee I Jane and Cog Hill to provide New Zealand with a strong attack on the A$1 million ($1.2 million) Stradbroke Handicap after impressive performances at Doomben in Brisbane on Saturday.

Cog Hill won the Lord Mayor's Cup, while La Sizeranne stormed home for second in the Glenlogan Park Stakes, while her stablemate Gaze was an easy winner of the group three Doomben Roses.

They franked a solid Kiwi stamp on the rich Queensland carnival, following on from the brilliant win of Gee I Jane in the group one A$300,000 BTC Cup (1200m) the previous weekend.

La Sizeranne's trainer, Roger James, buoyed by her run on Saturday, is giving some thought to the group one Stradbroke at Eagle Farm on June 10.

"I don't know whether she will make the field, but I will certainly look at it," James said yesterday.

At this stage, La Sizeranne's main target is the group two A$400,000 Winter Stakes (1500m) for fillies and mares at Eagle Farm on June 24.

He was thrilled with her run for second behind Countess Bathory in the listed stakes' race, denied a probable victory by being blocked for a run on the turn and early in the straight.

She rocketed down the outside, missing victory by three-quarters of a length.

"It was a lovely run. She was quite a long time getting clear and that was the problem," he said

Jockey Michael Rodd told James he was keen to stay with the mare, but if she started in the Stradbroke he would not be able to make her allocated weight of 50.5kg.

However, Rodd is keen to ride another Kiwi in the Stradbroke, especially after Cog Hill's commanding victory on Saturday.

Cog Hill sprinted home stylishly to win the group three 1614m event from Spirit Of Tara and Villa Bled.

"He was very impressive the whole way and he could go around again," Rodd said afterwards.

Cog Hill has 52.5kg in the Stradbroke and Pukekohe trainer Richard Collett plans to use blinkers on him in that race.

"He's a smart horse and the only reason we ran him in the mile today was to pick up expenses," Collett said after the race.

Cog Hill, who was bred by Collett's cousin Cath Pullar, was bought for $25,000 as a yearling and has always looked promising in his New Zealand racing career.

Everything went to plan for Gaze in the Doomben Roses, with Darren Beadman positioning her two back on the inside before launching his run in the straight.

Gaze, the $3.60 favourite, was eased down by Beadman on the line to score by two lengths over Victorian filly Upstaged, with Zenarta third.

While James after the race voiced concerns about her frailty in the lead-up to her main target, the Queensland Oaks on June 3, he was more upbeat yesterday about her chances.

"She is fragile, but that is the case with a lot of three-year-old fillies on Oaks preparations," he said.

"I think she will stay the trip without a problem."

James will have to find a new jockey as Beadman is riding in Japan on Oaks day, but said he would have plenty of options.

* New Zealand mare Miss Potential and her jockey Reese Jones both came away wounded from Doomben.

Miss Potential injured a pastern, probably in a skirmish in the home straight in the BTC Sprint, while Jones copped a 10 race meeting suspension and a A$1000 fine on two careless riding charges.

Miss Potential, who had to lump 59kg and overcome a barrier of 19, was 16th in the group three 1350m race but would have finished a lot closer had she not been checked twice in the straight, said Waikato trainer Bill Borrie.

"She was never going to finish in the first three but she might have been fifth or sixth if it wasn't for that," Borrie said.

He said Miss Potential yesterday had swelling in the right hind leg pastern, but he was hopeful of it healing quickly, enabling her to back up in the group one Doomben 10,000 this Saturday.

"The swelling was up this morning, but we went for a walk for half an hour and it went down and I think we are on top of it. Apart from that she is fine."

Jones pleaded guilty to one charge of careless riding for shifting in on Yell at the 1300m mark, resulting in several horses being crowded, and was found guilty of another 200m later in which Ballet Society was checked.

He was suspended for 10 meetings on the first and eight meetings on the second, but they are to be served concurrently, enabling him to ride again on June 8. He was also fined A$1000.

Borrie said Jones was considering appealing. He may hold off on a decision for a day or two to see how Miss Potential comes through her injury.

Borrie said he had no concerns about the quick back-up for the Doomben 10,000, having employed the tactic successfully with the seven-year-old mare in the past.

And as for the Stradbroke on June 10 he was undecided.

"We're still thinking about that one, but it's some way off in the distance and we will just see what transpires in the next week first."

* Victorian stayer Above Deck booked a Cox Plate berth at Moonee Valley in October and a likely trip to Hong Kong after providing trainer Jim Conlan with a bittersweet Doomben Cup (2200m) victory on Saturday.

Above Deck ($2.80 fav) proved far too classy for an inferior weight-for-age field to score by two lengths to the John Hawkes-trained Octapussy ($17), with a brave Roman Arch ($6), a further half head away in third.

Conlan's victory was tarnished as he faces an inquiry in Melbourne following an elevated TC02 bicarbonate reading taken from Thousand Veils at Caulfield last week.

If found guilty of any charge relating to the finding, Conlan could face a lengthy stretch on the sidelines as he has had several past convictions for prohibited substance-related offences, including four for elevated TCO2 readings.

He was suspended for five months for his latest offence in July 2004 when Danestorm returned an elevated reading at Moonee Valley, a month before winning the Brisbane Cup.

Conlan immediately pleaded his innocence after Above Deck's Doomben Cup triumph which provided jockey Mark Zahra with his first group one winner in Australia.