3 minute read
Geegees Gemstone faces toughest test.
Exciting galloper Geegees Gemstone faces his biggest task when he steps up to WFA status, in the $75,000 Ladbrokes Stakes (1200m) in Launceston on Friday night.
Coming off four wins in a row at the end of the year, trainer Stuart Gandy gave Geegees Gemstone a freshen-up. The 4YO hasn't started since breaking the 1100m track record in Hobart on 17 December.
After that win, Gandy described Geegees Gemstone as "a serious horse, pretty exciting. We'll just assess and look after him and make sure we see the best of him when he comes back."
Geegees Gemstone will tackle some of the state's top liners, including Newmarket and Tasmanian Stakes winner First Accused, Conquering winner Indispensable, along with Turk Warrior and Bello Beau.
Trainer John Luttrell is expecting his promising staying filly Fiorente De Legend to progress to the $125,000 Strutt Stakes (9 February) and $150,000 Tasmanian Oaks (25 February) after contesting the second division of the 1400m maiden.
Fiorente De Legend will have just her third race start but is likely to start a warm favourite after a luckless second in Launceston 9 days ago.
"It was a good run, 'Darma' (Jockey Anthony Darmanin) said she should have won; he couldn't get clear when he wanted to.
"She has pulled up very well, and I expect her to be very hard to beat," Luttrell said.
"We think the further she goes the better. I reckon she will go to the Strutt and then to the Oaks.
"She's well-bred, she's always shown a lot on the track at home, she's a nice long-striding filly and has heaps of ability."
Luttrell will take a small team to Launceston including Geegees Sunshine in the maiden and Hell Toff who will be an outsider in the Listed Kevin Sharkie Launceston Guineas (2100m).
"I won a 2100m race with his mother; he trialled really well in Hobart, he hit the line really well, and he's always running on really well in his races."
For mine, Fiorente De Legend looks the best bet on the card; John Luttrell suggested you could 'put the money box on', and I tend to agree.
Opalson, (race 4 no.7) should be hard to beat after two runs in Tasmania and looks ready to win.
On what is a very good program the first of nine races gets underway 17:56. The meeting will be live hosted by Matt Reid on TasracingTV.
