Austin Hopes Munce's Luck Continues

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It's been a big week for Chris Munce but trainer Todd Austin is hoping the rider hasn't used up all his luck when he partners Playtime at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Munce will have his first ride on Playtime when the three-year-old filly starts in the Grace Constructions Product Handicap (1500m).

The premier jockey is riding in career-best form and landed five winners for the first time on the seven-event card at Doomben on Wednesday.

He joined an illustrious group of eight Queensland riders to have ridden five winners at a single meeting and just failed to equal Mick Dittman's feat of six winners which the retired champion jockey accomplished at Eagle Farm in November 1977.

"I'm not a lucky bloke generally but Chris is riding the best I've seen from him and he'll know what to do on my filly," Austin said.

Austin has used apprentice Brooke Richardson on Playtime at her past three starts but wanted a senior rider for her crucial test ahead of a summer campaign.

"Brooke was on loan to me as an apprentice but she's finished up with me now," Austin said.

"It was a hard decision to take her off with her three kilo claim but I wanted a senior rider who can tell me if we're on the right track with her."

Austin hopes to target the $1 million Magic Millions Guineas (1400m) at the Gold Coast on January 14 with Playtime if she performs well.

"I'll let her tell me after she runs on Saturday where to go with her," Austin said.

"It's one of the reasons I booked Chris.

"I want Chris's opinion after the race whether she's worth taking to the Magic Millions (Guineas) or whether she should step up to 1600 metres next run."

Playtime is a November foal and has effectively been competing at her past three starts as a two-year-old.

The daughter of Foreplay produced her best performance this campaign when runner-up to Morning Captain over 1400 metres at Eagle Farm earlier this month.

"I thought it was a very good run considering it was on a leader biased track and she only got beaten less than one length," Williamson said.

Playtime hasn't won for almost a year but stamped her credentials during the Brisbane winter carnival with placings in the Group Two Sires' Produce Stakes and Group One T J Smith at Eagle Farm in June.

Wood Raises Concerns With Belltone

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A first-up win by Belltone at Eagle Farm on Saturday would surprise Kelso Wood but the trainer has big plans for the sprinter in the future.

Wood, who was discharged from hospital last week following heart surgery, has given Belltone two barrier trials ahead of the six-year-old's return in Saturday's Listed Keith Noud Quality (1200m).

Belltone has been successful only once from six appearances first-up and is being aimed at next month's Doomben summer series which begins with the Group Three George Moore Stakes (1200m).

"It's a hard race and I'm not sure whether he's spot-on for tomorrow," Wood said.

"He's had two barrier trials but I'm not 100 per cent happy with him.

"I was away for a week when I was in hospital having surgery and I'm just not sure if he's fully wound up."

Wood is confident the son of Brahms can measure up to the major winter sprints next year including the Group One Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm in June.

Belltone went from a maiden to open company with seven wins from eight starts last preparation but hasn't raced since winning over 1350 metres at Doomben in mid-September.

Jockey Chris Munce also raised some concerns with Belltone after the gelding finished fifth in an 800-metre barrier trial at Doomben on Tuesday.

"He won his first trial at Doomben quite well earlier in the month but he looked a bit disappointing when he was beaten in Tuesday's trial," Wood said.

"Chris was a little disappointed at the time but I'm more open minded."

Meanwhile Caloundra trainer Andrew Williamson believes the time has come for talented sprinter Ready To Rip to stand up in the Keith Noud Quality.

Williamson plans to take on the first two legs of the summer series with Ready To Rip before the Magic Millions Cup (1200m) at the Gold Coast in January.

Williamson found little fault in Ready To Rip's last start second to Seek And Find in an unsuitable 1000m sprint at Eagle Farm on November 12.

"It was a good run against a strong field of 1000 metre horses and I thought if he could have got to the outside he would have made the finish a lot more interesting," Williamson said.

"There's a lot of trainers who have Stradbroke Handicap ambitions with their horses in this race and I'm one of them.

"I think the Stradbroke would be an ideal race for Ready To Rip but we'll get the summer races out of the way first."

Williamson is also looking at an autumn campaign in Sydney next year with Ready To Rip.

"There's a chance he might go to Sydney for the autumn but he's got to stand up and put his best foot forward first in tomorrow's race."

Colless' Nightmare Returns To Haunt Him

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Memories of an incident which forced jockey Glen Colless to have a toe amputated two years ago returned to haunt him at Doomben on Wednesday.

Colless knew he was in trouble aboard the Bryan Guy-trained Gallant Boy in the Drumbeats@Lyndhurst Maiden Handicap (1350m) when the four-year-old began to stagger approaching the home turn.

Colless tried desperately to pull Gallant Boy out of the race but the gelding veered out and crashed through the outside fence.

Luckily, Colless was able to avoid the carnage when he leapt from the saddle moments before Gallant Boy collapsed and died from a bleeding attack.

However, Colless hit the ground heavily and was later forced to stand down from his remaining commitments because of concussion.

"I knew something was drastically wrong and tried to slow him down," Colless said.

"But he still managed to smash through the fence."

Colless was briefly treated by ambulance officers after being left dazed on the ground following his heavy tumble.

The incident was similar to when Colless had his left foot badly mutilated when Indiana Storm staggered before crashing into the outside rail at Eagle Farm in February 2009.

"It's the second time this year I've had a heavy knock to the head," Colless said.

"I had vertigo after a fall around winter carnival time and missed between five and six weeks."

In the 2009 incident, surgeons pinned two of Colless' toes but he later had the middle toe of his left foot amputated.

The opening race at Doomben was won by the Barry Baldwin-trained Run Royal Run, who strolled to a six length victory over Robdon Ramble.

Baldwin predicted a bright future over further ground for Run Royal Run, who gave jockey Chris Munce the first of five winners in a personal best at a metropolitan meeting.

Baldwin has had to be patient with Run Royal Run after the four-year-old hurt his pelvis at his first start at Caloundra in January.

"His owners were very patient and then let me tip him out for six months," Baldwin said.

He predicted a bright future for Run Royal Run once he steps up to a middle distance.

"He just wants to stay and he's not appreciating these sprint races," he said.

"He's well bred and there's a couple of two mile winners in South Africa on his dam's side."

The win was a welcome change of luck for Baldwin after Havatryst was ruled out of the Listed Keith Noud Quality (1200m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday with a foot injury.

Austin Hopes Munce's Luck Continues

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It's been a big week for Chris Munce but trainer Todd Austin is hoping the rider hasn't used up all his luck when he partners Playtime at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Munce will have his first ride on Playtime when the three-year-old filly starts in the Grace Constructions Product Handicap (1500m).

The premier jockey is riding in career-best form and landed five winners for the first time on the seven-event card at Doomben on Wednesday.

He joined an illustrious group of eight Queensland riders to have ridden five winners at a single meeting and just failed to equal Mick Dittman's feat of six winners which the retired champion jockey accomplished at Eagle Farm in November 1977.

"I'm not a lucky bloke generally but Chris is riding the best I've seen from him and he'll know what to do on my filly," Austin said.

Austin has used apprentice Brooke Richardson on Playtime at her past three starts but wanted a senior rider for her crucial test ahead of a summer campaign.

"Brooke was on loan to me as an apprentice but she's finished up with me now," Austin said.

"It was a hard decision to take her off with her three kilo claim but I wanted a senior rider who can tell me if we're on the right track with her."

Austin hopes to target the $1 million Magic Millions Guineas (1400m) at the Gold Coast on January 14 with Playtime if she performs well.

"I'll let her tell me after she runs on Saturday where to go with her," Austin said.

"It's one of the reasons I booked Chris.

"I want Chris's opinion after the race whether she's worth taking to the Magic Millions (Guineas) or whether she should step up to 1600 metres next run."

Playtime is a November foal and has effectively been competing at her past three starts as a two-year-old.

The daughter of Foreplay produced her best performance this campaign when runner-up to Morning Captain over 1400 metres at Eagle Farm earlier this month.

"I thought it was a very good run considering it was on a leader biased track and she only got beaten less than one length," Williamson said.

Playtime hasn't won for almost a year but stamped her credentials during the Brisbane winter carnival with placings in the Group Two Sires' Produce Stakes and Group One T J Smith at Eagle Farm in June.

Spirit Of Boom On Trial For NZ

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Spirit Of Boom will be on trial for a dual Group One mission in New Zealand when he kicks off his summer campaign in the Listed Keith Noud Quality at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Trainer Tony Gollan will decide after next month's Group Three George Moore Stakes (1200m) at Doomben whether to send the four-year-old across the Tasman for the Railway Stakes and Telegraph Handicap.

"If he wins the George Moore or runs a big race he'll more than likely go to New Zealand for those two Group Ones," Gollan said.

The Group One Railway Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie on January 1 is followed by the Group One Telegraph Handicap (1200m) at Trentham on January 21.

Gollan is in New Zealand with fellow Brisbane trainers Rob Heathcote and Brian Wakefield as part of a 30-strong promotional tour of Australian trainers for the Karaka yearling sales in January.

Gollan also has Listen Son in the Keith Noud Quality (1200m) but says he is a doubtful starter if the track is badly rain-affected.

"I'm a bit worried about the weather forecast with both my runners," Gollan said.

"Listen Son doesn't need to run and can wait until the George Moore but he definitely won't start if the rain that has been forecast arrives.

"Spirit Of Boom is going good and can handle the wet and will start if the track gets to slow but not if it's heavy."

If Gollan doesn't travel to New Zealand with Spirit Of Boom, the alternative is the Listed Lough Neagh Stakes on December 24, or he could freshen him up for a 1000-metre race on Magic Millions day at the Gold Coast on January 14.

"We were think of sending Temple Of Boom over to New Zealand after he performed so well in Melbourne during the spring but I'm told the tracks over here might be too hard for him at that time of the year," Gollan said.

"We're not locked into the Lough Neagh with Spirit Of Boom after he runs in the George Moore and I could freshen him and give him a barrier trial and aim for Magic Millions day if we decide not to go to New Zealand."

Gollan blamed himself for Spirit Of Boom's first-up fifth to fellow Queenslander Facile Tigre in the Listed MSS Security Sprint (1200m) at Flemington on Melbourne Cup day.

"Unfortunately I got a rush of blood and put the shades on him that day," he said.

"The blinkers are coming off him for Saturday and I think (jockey) Ric McMahon will suit him."

Shattered Heathcote Turns To Excellantes

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Trainer Rob Heathcote is gutted following a likely career ending injury to Work The Room but remains optimistic Excellantes can lift the stable's fortunes at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Heathcote is on a stud tour of New Zealand and received the bad news of Work The Room's injury on Tuesday.

Work The Room had been due to take on Excellantes in the Listed Keith Noud Quality (1200m).

"Unfortunately he's out of the Keith Noud and his future is grim after bowing a tendon while working at Eagle Farm on Tuesday morning," Heathcote said.

"I've spoken to my staff while I've been here in New Zealand and it doesn't sound good.

"I feel gutted especially after he produced such an enormous win last start."

Heathcote returns home on Friday and will order a further inspection to determine Work The Room's future.

"From what my staff has told me his career is probably finished but I'll assess him myself and get another opinion when I get home tomorrow.

"But it looks fairly grim."

Work The Room, a half-brother to former top stayer Zipping, caused Heathcote some minor embarrassment last start by beating Excellantes over 1200 metres at Eagle Farm on November 12.

Heathcote had previously declared Excellantes as his best chance in the race and only gave Work The Room an outside hope.

A son of Bel Esprit, Work The Room won three races for Melbourne trainer Colin Little before being transferred to Heathcote at the start of the year.

Under Heathcote, Work The Room started seven times for two wins and two placings.

Heathcote is happy with Excellantes despite his surprise defeat by Work The Room last start and is confident the four-year-old can bounce back.

"Statistics don't lie as he's never won first-up and he's unbeaten second up," Heathcote said.

"He's got a wide barrier which will make things harder for him but he's got good gate speed to get across.

"It's a very strong race and it deserves its Listed status."

Heathcote also nominated Solzhenitsyn for the Keith Noud but preferred to start him and stablemates My Limit and Sway To Go in the David Jones Handicap (1200m).

"I nominated him for the Keith Noud but I purposely decided to run him in the Class Six," Heathcote said.

"He gets into that race well at the weights and he'll be hard to beat.

"He'll go on to the Summer Series if he runs well before ultimately being aimed at the Brisbane winter carnival next year."

The Summer Series begins with the Group Three George Moore Stakes (1200m) at Doomben on Saturday week.

Havatryst On Track For Summer Series

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A minor leg injury has forced talented sprinter Havatryst out of the Listed Keith Noud Quality at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

The son of Foreplay, who is unbeaten in two starts this campaign, was found to be tender in his off foreleg when trainer Barry Baldwin inspected him at his stables on Monday afternoon.

X-rays have revealed the injury is not serious and won't stop him from continuing his summer campaign.

"It appears he may have bumped his leg some time on Monday," Baldwin said.

"He's not lame but he's a bit sore around the cannon bone area in his off foreleg.

"It's only superficial and I could have pushed ahead and run him Saturday but I don't want to take any risks and he'll have a few days off."

Havatryst, who also had been nominated for a 1200-metre class six race at Doomben, will have his next start in the Group Three George Moore Stakes (1200m) at Doomben on December 10.

"It means he won't have run for five weeks but there's nothing we can do about it," Baldwin said.

Meanwhile trainer Kelso Wood wasn't unduly concerned with Belltone's barrier trial defeat at Doomben on Tuesday ahead of his comeback in the Keith Noud Quality.

Belltone, ridden by Chris Munce, finished fifth to the former Bart Cummings-trained Griffon in an 800-metre heat.

Griffon, making his first public appearance for trainer Rob Heathcote, comfortably beat Belltone's stablemates Spirit Of Flatley and Zero Rock.

Belltone won his maiden at Eagle Farm in May and went on to win five of his next six starts including his first win in open company at Doomben in September.

"He (Belltone) looked a bit disappointing in the trial but he doesn't like tight little tracks like Doomben," Wood said.

"I thought Zero Rock's effort was quite good. In her younger days she would have won that trial by 10 lengths but she's an older mare now.

"She's resuming in a fillies and mares race on Saturday week and she'll come in nicely under the set weight conditions before she runs in the Lough Neagh again."

Zero Rock won last year's Listed Lough Neagh Stakes before finishing fifth in the Listed Goldmarket Handicap and second in the Magic Millions Cup (1400m) at the Gold Coast in January.

Colless Sore But Fit To Ride

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A battered and bruised Glen Colless has declared his fitness to continue his association with promising mare Skating On Ice at Eagle Farm.

Skating On Ice will be chasing her sixth win from 15 starts in Saturday's David Jones Handicap (1200m)

Colless suffered minor concussion and was forced to stand down from his remaining commitments at Doomben on Wednesday after his mount, the Bryan Guy-trained Gallant Boy, collapsed and died from a bleeding attack near the home turn.

Colless managed to escape serious injury when he leapt from Gallant Boy just before the gelding crashed through the outside rail.

"I'm still a little sore and stiff around one shoulder but I'm right to ride," Colless said.

"I'll probably see a physio at some stage and have a massage but I'm riding tomorrow at the Gold Coast and Caloundra."

It's the second time this year Colless has suffered a heavy head knock.

He had vertigo and was forced out of the saddle for nearly six weeks following a fall in the winter.

Colless mutilated his left foot in a similar incident when Indiana Storm staggered before crashing into the outside rail at Eagle Farm in February 2009.

In the 2009 incident, surgeons pinned two of Colless' toes but he later had the middle toe of his left foot amputated.

Colless has six mounts at Eagle Farm and declared Skating On Ice as one of his best.

The Les Kelly-trained Skating On Ice is being aimed at some of the lucrative black type fillies and mares races over the summer following her impressive 1200m victory in Class Six company at Doomben on November 5.

Colless rode the daughter of Bradbury's Luck for the first time when she finished fifth at Eagle Farm last month.

Bradbury's Luck sired his first Group One winner when Luckygray claimed last week's Group One Railway Stakes in Perth.

"She's a nice mare but she got all the breaks when she won at Doomben last time, Colless said.

"I was probably too aggressive on her from her awkward draw and she needs to be ridden more quiet.

"Riding her back off the pace more will allow her to show her good turn of foot."

Pattillo Keen To Lift Metropolitan Profile

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Tony Pattillo has experienced the highs and lows of being a jockey and is confident his latest struggle for city recognition will soon end.

Pattillo, 37, has only two rides at Doomben on Wednesday and admits it's been difficult trying to regain the confidence of trainers and finding a good horse capable of winning in the metropolitan area.

Pattillo's problems began in January last year when he spent three months out with a rib cartilage problem.

It was only a few months later when he was sidelined for a further 10 months with a broken shoulder following a fall in Townsville.

"It was a pretty nasty break," Pattillo said.

"I had to have a couple of operations and they cut the end of my collarbone out."

The Gold Coast jockey has ridden only two city winners since making his comeback in July, both aboard the Tony Fitzgerald-trained Vintage Moss at Eagle Farm in August and at Doomben in September.

Pattillo concedes his comeback has again stalled with few opportunities in Brisbane.

"It's been fairly slow," he said.

"I've lost a few of the good horses I used to ride and the ones I've been riding haven't been good enough to win in town.

"It also seems a lot harder this time because there's a lot of jockeys now riding in Brisbane.

"I mostly ride at the Gold Coast and basically if you are riding well there you'll eventually get the right break to get to town."

Pattillo's weight soared to 67kg during his stints on the sidelines but he's now riding comfortably around 54kg.

Pattillo's two rides are Sarah Can Fly in the Racing Retro Maiden Handicap (1350m) and the Matthew Dunn-trained Tacker in the Mater Dei School Handicap (1110m).

"I've won three races on Tacker since I made my comeback and he's probably my best chance," Pattillo said.

"He's been a stepping stone for me and I'd like to do more riding for Matty Dunn."

Pattillo's biggest race win was aboard Art Success in the Group One Brisbane Cup (3200m) at Eagle Farm in 2006.

Another of his career highlights came later that year when trainer John Collins asked him to ride Art Success in the Melbourne Cup.

But Art Success was never a hope finishing 16th to Japanese stayer Delta Blues.

"To this day it's the most amazing thing I've ever experienced in racing," Pattillo said.

Munce Dominates At Doomben

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Jockey Chris Munce was in red hot form with a personal best five winners on the seven event program at Doomben.

Chris MunceChris MunceMunce, Brisbane's leading rider and winner of last season's jockeys' premiership, had never ridden more than four winners at a metropolitan meeting before Wednesday.

"Don't ask me when but I've ridden four winners quite a few times but I can't recall ever riding five winners," Munce said.

Munce joined an illustrious group of eight Queensland riders to have ridden five winners at a single meeting.

He just failed to equal Mick Dittman's feat of riding six winners - accomplished at Eagle Farm in November 1977 - when he finished fourth on the Desleigh Forster-trained Starlin in the final event.

Four of Munce's wins were aboard favourites, including his victory on Run Royal Run ($1.24 fav) in the opening race.

His others came aboard Timely Surprise ($9), Igles Star ($2 fav), On Face Value ($2.15 fav) and Product ($2.30 fav).

Jim Byrne was the last Queenslander to ride five winners on a day when he set his own personal best at Doomben in June last year.

Others to ride five winners in Queensland include Graham Cook, Len Hill, Russell Maddock, Brian York, apprentice Ivan Wernowski and Mick Pelling.

Picture: Quentin Lang

Payne Uncertain Where Latin News Runs

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A decision on whether talented sprinter Latin News runs in Sydney or Brisbane on Saturday will not be made until later this week.

Trainer David Payne entered the five-year-old for the 1100m welter at Canterbury and the Listed Keith Noud Quality (1200m) at Eagle Farm.

Wherever he runs, Latin News will be having his second start for Payne after being transferred from Bart Cummings.

Under Cummings, Latin News won three races and was placed four times including a third to Albert The Fat in the 2010 Group One BTC Cup.

At his only start for his new trainer, Latin News was a close second to Ahdashim at Rosehill on October 29.

"We'll have a look at both races but I don't know yet where he will be going," Payne said.

"If not this week, he will be going to Brisbane. There are a couple of nice races for him in December."

Payne has entered three two-year-olds for Saturday's 1100m handicap but the chance of any or all starting depend on how they perform when they trial at Rosehill on Tuesday.

Alive In Paris and Anytime Baby finished fourth and sixth respectively in the first barrier trial at Rosehill on November 8 while Honorius was third in a separate trial on the same day.

"All three will trial on Tuesday and I'll know more after then," Payne said.

The Clarry Conners-trained Diamond Start will be the first ride back for Peter Robl who returns from a 12-month suspension at the Canterbury meeting.

There were 10 entries for the two-year-old race with 19 nominations taken for the feature race, the Listed Frank Underwood Cup (1900m).

Ginga Dude was given topweight of 61kg in the Frank Underwood Cup but is not a certain runner with trainer Graeme Boyd concerned about the handicap.

If he doesn't start, 2009 Summer Cup winner Solid Billing will be topweight.