HAVING bettered his own record for Queensland metropolitan winners on Wednesday, Tony Gollan is poised to advance on the new number with a strong team at Doomben on Saturday.

Daring Deeds took Gollan’s 2017-18 tally to 87, bettering the mark of 86½ he set in 2015-16, the year he broke Bruce McLachlan’s long standing record of 78 (1987-88).

Tattersall’s Mile aspirant Sheiswhatsheis rounds out a team of nine runners for Gollan at Doomben on Saturday after being given 28 days off since her last start.

“She went out for a week after that and it was always the plan to freshen her for this race,” Gollan said.

“Historically she races well off a freshen and by giving her that little break, I’ve given myself every chance to get her back to where I need her.

“Ideally I would like a bit of sting out, but it’s a winter Good (4) track so it shouldn’t matter too much. This is the right race for her to run well in and I think she’s spot-on.”

Gollan’s promising fillies Miss Exfactor and Shesees Everything are seen as the biggest dangers to the flying Winter Bride in the 3YO Plate.

Shesees Everything swamped Miss Exfactor a fortnight ago after the latter endured a torrid run.

Gollan hopes Miss Exfactor can overcome the potentially gut-busting run she had that day.

“I’ve been really mindful of that because it can knock them around. She hasn’t had a lot of racing, so I’m hoping it might not be as bad as if she was deep into a campaign,” he said.

“All the signs have been good and I can’t fault her.

“I did think about a 21-day gap between runs, but when she drew so well here I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to run.”

A MILE OF RISK FOR PRINCESS
ASTUTE analyst Jamie Lovett confesses he has reservations about his mare Princess Posh running out 1600m in Saturday’s Tattersall’s Mile at Doomben.

Princess Posh is in a battle for favouritism with No Annamossity after the pair both won 1350m races at Doomben a fortnight ago.

Lovett is a co-Director of Australian Bloodstock with Luke Murrell and, the pair have gained a reputation for giving brutally frank assessments of their own horses and others during a prolonged run of success at the highest level.

This is the first time trainer Kris Lees has tested Princess Posh beyond 1550m, with the camp deciding to roll the dice in a bid to secure some black type in Saturday’s Listed feature.

“I must confess, I’ve never had her as a miler,” Lovett said.

“I hope I’m wrong.

“With this race there you have to have a throw at the stumps. She’s a mare in form and any black type would be so valuable for her.

“If she can get a suck run up behind them without having to chase too far out, that would be the best case scenario for her.

“You just don’t know until you try them, but I will be holding my breath at the furlong.”

Lovett isn’t the only stable with reservations about a leading contender today.

Religify comes into the race having had just one start in 267 days, where he was down the track in last month’s Eye Liner Stakes at Ipswich. He returned to Sydney after that race, before being sent north again.

Religify has a two-start unblemished record over the Doomben mile, but Chris Waller’s Queensland stable manager Paul Shailer fears he may face a task on Saturday.

“Wet tracks haven’t helped his preparation and given he hasn’t raced for 35 days, it’s fair to say it’s a bit of a task for him with 61kg,” Shailer said.