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Gollan-trained son of Lope De Vega firmed for the Group 1 after drawing barrier four
Trainer Tony Gollan is happy with Vega One (Lope De Vega) ahead of his Stradbroke Handicap (Gr 1, 1400m) tilt on Saturday.
The five-year-old comes into the race having won the Kingsford-Smith Cup (Gr 1, 1300m) fourth up from a spell on May 29 and Gollan believes he will be even better this weekend.
"I didn't make any secret of the fact we had a minor setback from the 10,000 in. Even looking at him on Kingsford Smith day he had improvement in him. I think he's found it," Gollan said.
"I think he's at the top of his game now. It was always the plan to get to the Stradbroke as good as we could and I feel that's where we got him.”
Vega One had ten months off due to a suspensory injury after finishing fourth in last year’s Stradbroke Handicap and Gollan said it took a while for the gelding to return to fitness.
"He was ten months off the scene. He's a big gross, boy, he's big a heavy gelding.
"It took a little while to get him into shape. He's in great shape now and he's out to his right distances in the right races."
Vega One firmed in Stradbroke betting after drawing barrier four on Tuesday night and Gollan, who has yet to win the race with his best result being Temple Of Boom (Piccolo) who finished second in the 2014 renewals, also has Outback Barbie (Spirit Of Boom) as the first emergency in the race.
"It's a lot better draw this year than last year," Gollan said.
"I'm really happy with his barrier although he'll still get back, I don't want to expose him too early."
Tom Dabernig meanwhile will be aiming to win one last Group 1 race under the Lindsay Park banner with So Si Bon (So You Think) taking his place in the Stradbroke. Should the son of So You Think (High Chaparral) win it will be the 20th Group 1 win for Dabernig in his years as a training partner with the Hayes family having had four with David, 14 when Ben joined the pair and one with Ben after David’s departure for Hong Kong last year.
So Si Bon is a $41 outsider in the Stradbroke Handicap and Dabernig will not be able to watch the race in person with the current COVID travel restrictions in place.
Blaike McDougall heads to Brisbane on Saturday to partner So Si Bon who was ridden by Craig Williams when 13th of 14 runners in the Kingsford-Smith Cup.
"He drew an inside gate and we fell into the trap of riding him forward," Dabernig told RSN.
"He did win the Caulfield race leading, but that was a different tempo.
"Back to the 1300 metres, the pressure had him out of his comfort zone.
"He was beaten 3.8 lengths and on Saturday he's drawn barrier nine, so he can be ridden where he can balance up and hopefully get dragged into it."
