Trainer
Noel Doyle knows what is required to win a Brisbane Handicap and is hopeful Biggles
can progress to the Listed feature later this month following his Eagle Farm
assignment on Saturday.
Biggles had
an unsuccessful winter campaign and will line-up for only his second start this
preparation in the Little Fish Swim School Handicap (1400m).
Doyle
wasn't overly concerned with Biggles' performance when only a moderate seventh
to Funtantes at Doomben on October 13.
"At
first I was a little disappointed but they scooted along and ran 1 minute 8.6,"
Doyle said.
"He's
still a bit new but he's improved a lot since that run.
"He'll
race well but I still don't think he's quite there yet and I'm waiting to get
him up to 1600 metres."
The Listed Brisbane Handicap (1600m) at Eagle
Farm on November 17 and the Listed Recognition Stakes (1600m) a fortnight later are two
races on Biggles' immediate agenda.
The Listed
Bernborough Handicap (1600m) at Doomben next month is another feature on the
immediate radar for the son of Jet Spur.
Doyle won
the Brisbane Handicap in 1987 with his former outstanding miler Beau Zephyr who
also claimed the Bernborough Handicap the same year.
The Gold
Coast trainer also was placed three times in the Brisbane Handicap with his
former topliner Don't Play who was runner-up in 1988 and 1990 before
finishing third in 1991.
Doyle is overlooking Biggles' winter form as
he assesses his chances over the next month or so.
"He
didn't spell well before the winter carnival and he just didn't come up,"
he said.
"That
happens a lot with horses.
"He
only had three runs and he also had a virus.
"This
time he spelled well before he came back into work but I think it'll take him
three runs to reach his peak."
Doyle
believes Biggles is in a similar position to his talented sprinter Celtic
Dancer who also was out of form before bouncing back to win the Listed Prime
Minister's Cup at the Gold Coast and G2 QTC Cup at Eagle Farm this year.
A beefy
Celtic Dancer made his comeback finishing a fading sixth to Morning
Captain at Doomben last week but Doyle
is looking forward to the summer and hopefully rain.
"I've
been told we might have a wet summer this year and that will suit Celtic
Dancer," Doyle said.
"He
was a bit fat when he ran against Morning Captain last week and I think that
horse will be hard to beat again for Biggles."
Racing Queensland webnews November 1
Photo: Trackside Photography
