Manco Easter winner Endless Drama is a very serious back-up to Bostonian on Saturday. Photo / Supplied
Manco Easter winner Endless Drama is a very serious back-up to Bostonian on Saturday. Photo / Supplied
Two perfect barrier draws and a mission already accomplished have left trainer Tony Pike seeing a win-win situation heading to the A$1.5 million Stradbroke in Brisbane on Saturday.
The Cambridge trainer has not only the favourite for the richest Australasian race of the winter in Bostonian but a muscular second string in Endless Drama, and the pair are likely to start alongside each other in barriers five and six once the ballots come out.
That looks ideal in the 1400m group one in which much of the early speed looks to be drawn out wide, which should create tempo and suit those able to find a spot midfield without working much.
That and the fact Bostonian has won both the Doomben 10,000 and the Kingsford-Smith Cup this campaign have him the $4.50 favourite for the Stradbroke, unthinkable a month ago and even more so considering he has to carry the 57kg topweight.
"It is never easy to carry topweight in a race like this but he has earned it," says Pike.
"And the spread in the weights isn't massive. It is not like a handicap in the old days when we would be giving some of them 10kgs."
Pike is one of New Zealand racing's most analytical trainers and is happy to admit the Stradbroke is not as daunting as a group Australian sprint can be in the spring or autumn.
"The field for the Doomben 10,000 was the scariest one he has met this campaign so we know he can beat these horses. He will just need no bad luck."
If he races up to his best form he can win. He won't even know he has Leith on his back, carrying 54kgs for a horse like him is a luxury because he is a monster of a horse.
The draw should help with that as Bostonian tries to become the first horse to win Queensland's sprinting Triple Crown in the same season.
"It would be something special to see him create history but the fact he has won the other two group ones already puts us in a win-win situation.
"We came here aiming him at the Straddy but we have already won two races which combined are worth as much before we even get to Saturday.
"So either way he has had a great carnival. Now we just want the big bonus on top."
Pike is adamant Bostonian is at least as good as when he won the other two feature sprints over 1200 and 1300m. "His work on Tuesday was just as good as the Tuesdays before those other two races."
And Pike has the luxury of having Easter Handicap winner Endless Drama as a very serious back-up to Bostonian on Saturday, with Leith Innes in the saddle.
He was a luckless but fast-finishing sixth in the Kingsford-Smith after starting from a very wide draw.
"He was never a chance that day because of the draw but his draw this week looks perfect and I can see him getting the right run off what should be a hot speed.
"If he races up to his best form he can win. He won't even know he has Leith on his back, carrying 54kgs for a horse like him is a luxury because he is a monster of a horse."
The pair headline a strong Kiwi presence on Saturday, with Igraine rated an each way chance in the A$400,000 Brisbane Cup where she could even clash with Kiwi 3-year-old Bobby Dee, who is first emergency after being long on the ballot for the Queensland Derby.
Pike's sprinting 3-year-old Cyber Attack contests the A$125,000 Daybreak Lover, Vigor Winner has a handy draw in the A$350,000 Queensland Guineas and Lord Arthur is looking to bounce back in the A$600,000 Queensland Derby.
