3 minute read
Trainer Kris Lees is confident Gem Song is back to his best for his Brisbane campaign opener at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Blake Shinn also begins his Brisbane winter carnival campaign with the mount on the talented three-year-old in the Group 3 Gunsynd Classic (1600m).
Not surprisingly, especially because of the record Gem Song holds under set weights conditions, the colt is an odds-on favorite.
His benchmark rating is clearly above that of any of his 13 rivals.
Gem Song has won four of his eight starts, including the G3 Eskimo Prince Stakes (1200m) first-up at Warwick Farm on February 9.
However, his subsequent Sydney autumn program was jeopardised by a skin infection, and he did not race again until March 23 when fifth to Krone in the Listed Darby Munro Quality (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens.
He showed the benefit of that outing with a strong-finishing close fourth to Fasika&Nbsp;in the Listed South Pacific Classic (1400m) at Royal Randwick on Day 2 of The Championships (April 13).
Gem Song carried 58kg in that race and drops 1kg under the set weights conditions at Eagle Farm.
“I’m confident he is back to his best,” Lees said this morning.
“It does look the right race for him.”
Whilst Gem Song is yet to be tested beyond 1600m in his brief career to date, Lees has not ruled out a Queensland Derby assignment.
The $600,000 Group 1 2400m classic for three-year-olds will be run at Eagle Farm on June 8.
“Tomorrow’s race will tell us if Gem Song shapes as though he is worth trying over more ground,” Lees said.
From four Eagle Farm acceptors, Lees has scratched Bastia&Nbsp;(running at Hawkesbury from the Class 6 Plate (1600m) and Tawfiq Boy, who drew poorly in the Class 6 Plate (1200m).
His other representative is Intrinsic (Kerrin McEvoy) in the Benchmark 75 Handicap (1400m).
The So You Think mare drew the outside barrier when seventh to Sydney visitor Spin in a Class 3 Plate (1200m) at Eagle Farm on April 13.
“Unfortunately, she has drawn poorly again with the rail out 7m,” Lees said. “But if she can have some luck and get a decent run, she is capable of figuring in the finish.”