Gold Coast horseman Toby Edmonds is leaning towards an Eagle Farm run on Saturday as a final 2017 Golden Slipper Stakes tune-up over the wet weather track in Sydney this weekend for Houtzen.
Houtzen is likely to bypass the wet Reisling Stakes 2017 in Sydney in favour of a Brisbane run under big weight on Saturday. Photo: Steve Hart.
Things remain up in the air regarding whether or not Saturdayâs Randwick Guineas Day will be postponed due to the inclement Sydney weather and bog track.
As it stands the course proper at Royal Randwick is already rated a Heavy (9) and further rain of up to 20mm on both Thursday and Friday is on the radar.
That could force Edmonds to bypass the $300,000 Group 2 Reisling Stakes (1200m) with his undefeated daughter of I Am Invincible, Houtzen, in favour of a home state run in Brisbane.
A winner of all three of her career starts leading up to the weekendâs racing, Houtzen is the current equal $8 second elect in all-in betting at Ladbrokes.com.au for the $3.5 million Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) this season.
Run at Rosehill Gardens on March 18, the Golden Slipper Stakes favourite in 2017 is the also unbeaten filly She Will Reign.
Gary Portelliâs smart two-year-old was last seen winning the Group 2 Silver Slipper Stakes (1100m) and steps up in distance for the Reisling Stakes on the weekend.
She is a proven Heavy track performer having won the Inglis Nursery by four lengths at Randwick in December on a Heavy (8) and is odds-on in Reisling Stakes betting for Saturday.
Last seen taking out the lucrative $2 million Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m) on January 14, Houtzen meanwhile has won on a Soft (6) track but never on Heavy going.
Even if she could handle a very wet course, there is a risk of over exerting her ahead of the Golden Slipper grand finale in a fortnight.
Instead then Edmonds may give Houtzen the chance to set a new modern day weight carrying record at Eagle Farm Racecourse with 63kg and barrier 11 of 12 in the $60,000 Winning Edge Presentations QTIS Two-Years-Old Handicap (1000m).
That will also be a tough test, but one veteran hoop Jeff Lloyd believes would take less out of her than the Randwick race against She Will Reign.
âItâs a lot of weight for any horse to carry, let alone a two-year-old,â jockey Jeff Lloyd, who is on standby for the Brisbane ride on Houtzen, told The Courier Mail.
âYou just donât know how much it might take out of her. I just hope she gets out of it in good shape.
âItâs not ideal, but I do think the best option is to stay in Brisbane.
âYou wouldnât want her going down there and running first-up over 1200m on a bog track, which is not what you want for any horse going into a big race.â
Paying $4.60 as the second-elect in the latest Reisling Stakes odds, Houtzen is the $1.40 favourite for the Brisbane race even with the kilos.
A third option remains in Canberra on Sunday for Houtzen and other Golden Slipper Stakes hopefuls with the running of the Group 3 Black Opal Stakes (1200m).
Check out the latest weekend racing odds in Sydney and Brisbane plus the futures 2017 Golden Slipper betting markets online now at Ladbrokes.com.au!