Father and son trainers Chris and Corey Munce target Melbourne spring with promising pair Vein Girl and Payline
The father-and-son trainers were the toast of the Queensland winter carnival when their then two-year-old colt Cool Archie went on a five-race winning streak, culminating in the $1m Group 1 JJ Atkins (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 14.
After such an arduous campaign in all conditions, the Munces decided to send Cool Archie for a long spell and aim him for the $4m Group 1 Doncaster Mile at Randwick in the autumn.
But they're looking forward to seeing Vein Girl and Payline strut their stuff at Melbourne's celebrated spring carnival.
Alinghi Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on October 18.
'We've pencilled it in,' Munce said about Vein Girl heading to Melbourne.
'I just want to assess her over the next week or so and confirm whether we do or not.
'She'll likely line up in a few of those three-year-old fillies' races down there.'
Vein Girl hasn't raced since finishing fifth in the $3m Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m), won by O' Ole, on the Gold Coast in January.
'We're looking to take her and Payline down (to Melbourne) together on the 21st (of August),' Munce confirmed.
Payline is likely to line up in the $750,000 Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m) at The Valley on September 6 and then race in the $2m Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) at the same track less than three weeks later.
'His main goal will be running a 1200m race down the straight on Champions Stakes day (at Flemington on November 8),' Munce said about Payline, who finished third in the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 in May behind Sunshine In Paris and Rothfire.
'He was still racing in the Stradbroke (on June 14 when he finished eighth) so he had about three or four weeks out.
'But that's what happens with these winter carnival horses, they've got to keep going.'
The Munce team will have Walsh Bay and Alectrona running on Mekka Raceday at Doomben on Saturday, with Poseidon Ruler scratched after drawing barrier 14.
Meanwhile, Eagle Farm trainer Barry Lockwood revealed his injured stable star Give Me Space is expected to return to the track in mid-spring.
'He had a chip taken out of his fetlock and they ended up operating on the cartilage at the front of the fetlock because it was a bit rough there,' Lockwood said.
'He'll be about for another two months, I'd say, which means he would've been out for five months.'
The four-year-old gelding last raced in the Listed Daybreak Lover Stakes (1400m) at Eagle Farm on April 19 when he finished seventh out of 11 runners in a contest won by the Tony Gollan -trained Boomtown Boss.
In his previous race, he ran an impressive runner-up to the Annabel and Rob Archibald -trained Bosustow in the $3m Magic Millions 3YO Guineas (1400m) on the Gold Coast in January.
'I was going to run him in the Queensland Guineas but the Tuesday before he was ordinary for him in work, although we couldn't find anything,' Lockwood said.
'A few weeks later a little chip (in his fetlock) could be seen and they put an arthroscope in and cleaned up the cartilage at the front of the joint as well.
'He might take a couple of preps to come back. He's a big-striding horse and sometimes putting that pressure on the fetlock can bring them undone.
'We'll just take our time with him.'
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