It’s a massive week for the RTD team with another Group 1 runner, this time its Ayrton going around in the time honoured Stradbroke Handicap. It is Brisbane’s premier race of their winter carnival and we are very excited to be up there this week soaking up the atmosphere. On Tuesday, RTD Director Leigh Saville attended the barrier draw and was entrusted with choosing the barrier. With only 5 barriers taken when Ayrton’s marble was drawn there was a good chance that the coveted barrier 5 to 15 was readily available. As is the retched run we are having with all of our horses at the moment, the big fella could only manage to select barrier 19 from the random selections.
Ayrton lines up as one of the favourites for the event. It certainly hasn’t been the traditional path for the 4YO son of Iffraaj as he failed badly in the Group 2 Hollindale Stakes on the Gold Coast last month. What that run has allowed the team to do is freshen him up since the flop and he hasn’t done much at all aside from a trial last week and a super gallop at Eagle Farm on Tuesday that turned the heads of some good judges. He is in great order, we have the services of Jamie Kah to neutralise the stupidity of Leigh selecting barrier 19 and the polish of the Price/Kent team ensuring he is spot on for Saturday. Good luck to all involved.
