QUEENSLAND Racing's chief handicapper Lester Grimmett said yesterday he was prepared to use his discretionary powers to keep filly Ortensia's Stradbroke Handicap hopes alive by ensuring she gains a start in Saturday's group 2 QTC Cup at Eagle Farm, reports The Age in Melbourne.It says: There were a surprising 39 nominations received yesterday for the $150,000 sprint, which offers the winner a ballot-free run in the $1 million Stradbroke on Saturday week.The QTC Cup has a field maximum of 17 plus
QUEENSLAND Racing's chief handicapper Lester Grimmett said yesterday he was prepared to use his discretionary powers to keep filly Ortensia's Stradbroke Handicap hopes alive by ensuring she gains a start in Saturday's group 2 QTC Cup at Eagle Farm, reports The Age in Melbourne.
It says: There were a surprising 39 nominations received yesterday for the $150,000 sprint, which offers the winner a ballot-free run in the $1 million Stradbroke on Saturday week.
The QTC Cup has a field maximum of 17 plus five emergencies, with Ortensia and another in-form three-year-old filly, Court, on the borderline to gain an automatic start.
Both fillies need to win the QTC Cup to guarantee a Stradbroke run as the pair were last night languishing at equal 34th in order for a run with 16 other horses.
Ortensia, a winner of six of her nine races including a last-start demolition of fillies and mares in the Glenlogan Park Stakes at Doomben, is currently the $6 second favourite behind All Silent ($5.50) to win the Stradbroke, which is Queensland's richest race.
Grimmett said he thought Ortensia and Court, the last-start BTC Classic winner, would scrape into Saturday's QTC Cup but said he had no problem with elevating the fillies into the Stradbroke despite the quality of nominations.
"The ballot is done on ratings and both fillies have a rating of 99, which should just get them there, but we do have discretion in group races and I think they'll both be in the field," Grimmett said.