The Doomben Cup or Stradbroke Handicap?
That’s the choice trainer Steve O’Dea hopes to resolve after Sir Moments runs in the Group 2 Hollindale Stakes at the Gold Coast on Saturday.
O’Dea knows the pros and cons of running in both Group 1 features but will let Sir Moments make the decision with his performance in the 1800-metre weight-for-age feature.
Sir Moments, a Paul Hammersley mount, will be striving to go one better in this year’s Hollindale Cup after finishing second to Leebaz last year.
O’Dea can’t fault Sir Moments campaign so far which has produced a win and two placings from four starts.
The five-year-old returned to the winning list for the first time in a year when successful over 1350 metres at Doomben last month before a last start third to Bewhatyouwannabe in the Listed Tails Stakes at the Sunshine Coast.
“He’s really pleased me and has done everything right. His last run has topped him off and he’ll be right at his top,” O’Dea said.
“I’ll see how he goes in the Hollindale before deciding if he goes to the Doomben Cup or he has a freshen up for the Stradbroke.”
O’Dea believes Sir Moments prefers a bigger like track Eagle Farm where he claimed the Group 2 Queensland Guineas at Eagle Farm in 2014.
“I think he’s going as good now if not better than last year. He had a good break and has strengthened up a lot,” he said.
“Doomben is not really his track although he has won there and he’s the type of horse that gets back and likes to run on.
“They are his two main detractions while Eagle Farm is a plus for him and he likes the speed on which he should get if he went to the Stradbroke.”
O’Dea believes the Hollindale Stakes has attracted another strong field including three runners from the Chris Waller stable.
“It’s a pretty solid race again but there’s no standout,” he said.
“I thought last year’s race was strong and there were a few Group 1 winners in that.
“His only weight-for-age run was in last year’s Hollindale but his rating is up a lot more this year so he’s not as disadvantaged.”
– Racing Queensland
