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Another Brisbane assault is in the pipeline for Rockhampton trainer Nick Walsh if talented mare Queen Assassin continues her form at Mackay on Friday.
Queen Assassin – Justin Stanley mount - steps out for the first time since November when she tackles the Open Handicap over 1010 metres.
The four-year-old daughter of Better Than Ready last appeared when Walsh took her to Brisbane where she finished third to the Gary Doughty-trained Ralphie in a 1050-metre restricted race at Doomben on November 11.
It was her first defeat in three starts for the Walsh stable after she easily won her first two starts at Rockhampton in October last year.
She was previously trained at Eagle Farm by Steve O'dea and Matt Hoysted winning three times in seven starts.
"I bought her at the QTIS March sales for $24,000 and my partner and I have a third share with some good clients, Brett and Darren Green," Nick Walsh said.
"Brett's got 15 horses on his books with me and other trainers across the State while Darren has about six to 10 on his books."
"She's a half-sister to Better Get Set who ran second in the (Listed) Gai Waterhouse at Ipswich and won the Listed Just Now Stakes."
Walsh plans to send Queen Assassin back to Brisbane for the $105,000 Bat Out Of Hell over 1000 metres at the Gold Coast on May 11.
"She'll go down for a Benchmark race at Eagle Farm on the 27th then the plan is to go into the Bat Out Of Hell," Walsh said.
"She's unbeaten second up so that's why she'll go to Brisbane later in the month and she'll stay there for the Bat Out Of Hell.
"After that she'll come home and probably go for the Mackay or Townsville Newmarkets."
Walsh expects Queen Assassin to make it six wins in 11 starts when she heads to Mackay.
"She has a good first-up record and should be hard to beat on Friday," he said.
"She looks to have too much class than her rivals so I'm expecting her to be very hard to beat."
Walsh also will start Oligarchy in the Benchmark 58 Handicap over 1050 metres and Shadowen in the QTIS three-Year-Old Class Two Handicap over 1100 metres.
Oligarchy won his maiden at Mackay last October before spelling after finishing sixth in a 1200-metre Benchmark race at Rockhampton on November 10.
Shadowen has been freshened up since finishing third to Fukubana in a 1200-metre Three-Year-Old race at Doomben on February 10.
