Knoydart Leads Brisbane Challenge

A compelling glimpse of his best form has lifted confidence in the accomplished sprinter Knoydart ahead of his appearance in the G2 Victory Stakes at Doomben, Australia, on Saturday, April 30.

Knoydart (John O'Shea/Robbie Fradd) is one of the more durable performers in the Australian team and indicated he was far from a spent force at his most recent start when finishing the closest of second in G3 company at Randwick on April 16.

"We tried blinkers on him last start and it seemed to make a difference. He's continued to do well at home and he's travelled up to Brisbane well and is in good order," O'Shea said.

While Knoydart hasn't won for some time, he has regularly run placings in strong company, particularly in Brisbane where he finished second in the G1 BTC Cup and fourth in the G1 Doomben 10,000 this time last year.

The Victory Stakes is likely to be Knoydart's only Brisbane target this preparation with the G1 Darley Goodwood in Adelaide on May 21 his subsequent mission.

The son of More Than Ready is accompanied at Doomben by the progressive three-year-old Miami Dade (John O'Shea/Robbie Fradd) who runs in the G3 Gunsynd Classic.

A winner in restricted company at Gosford and Kembla Grange before his last-start third at Warwick Farm, Miami Dade will have blinkers added to his gear for this latest assignment.

"He keeps striking wet tracks which he has handled quite well, but we've put the blinkers on to sharpen him up," O'Shea said.

Godolphin's three-state, stakes-race weekend is completed by Dissolute (John O'Shea/Craig Williams) in the Listed Thoroughbred Club Cup at Caulfield.

"He's run well at his only two starts and last time had no luck from a wide gate, so we're looking for a nice effort from him."

The Caulfield meeting also sees the appearance in non-graded races of next month's G1 South Australian Derby aspirants Unbreakable (John O'Shea/Craig Williams) in the Sky High Mt Dandenong Handicap and Tarquin (John O'Shea/Craig Williams) in the Next Payments Handicap.