Wow, it’s a big call, but trainer Rob Heathcote has hinted that San Gabriel may be the next star for the Qld Rogues team. It’s easy to get ahead of yourself in the racing game, but it’s fair to say that San Gabriel’s win at Doomben on Wednesday vindicated your trainer’s opinion of the horse, declaring “There are plenty more wins to come for this bloke and the Rogues.”

NO REPLACEMENT FOR THE BIG GOODBYE

No one is suggesting that San Gabriel could replace The Big Goodbye in the hearts and minds of the Qld Rogues, but he certainly is a nice pick-up. San Gabriel was sourced by the TRL Bloodstock team and purchased in April on Inglis Digital
for just $80,000. He is already making inroads on paying that back.

“It was an excellent win from your lad, although he just got home by a nose on the outside. I was super confident in the lead-up, and he repaid my faith.

“I’ve liked this horse since the day I picked him up and all credit to the TRL team for finding him, and I’m bloody glad they did.

DANIEL MOOR TIMES IT PERFECTLY

Daniel Moor has been a terrific addition to the riding ranks in Brisbane and is right up there with the current crop of Ben Thompson, Ryan Maloney and Angela Jones.
The former Victorian hoop who moved North for better opportunities always liked San Gabriel as a progressive type. Moor got a good feel of San Gabriel in the trials and has been on him in all three starts, the final one for a win.

“I was concerned that in the small field, there was a lack of tempo.

“I had the favourite right where I wanted him for most of the race, but on the corner, he was able to push out and gain the run and put a gap on me a bit.
“I knew San Gabriel would fight to the line and we would fight out the finish, but it was probably the last 50 metres where I gave him a tickle with the spurs and he responded.

“It’s a really good win, great placement by the trainer, and he’s going really well.

“If something bobbed up which was suitable at the 2000 metre,s I wouldn’t shy away, but just for the moment I reckon we should stick to the Mile, where you would get a better tempo. Put it this way, we will keep the options open, but a very good win.” Moor said.

WHAT’S NEXT

It’s always good to have options and it looks like the Rogues have it with San Gabriel. The temptation is to stretch him out to 1800m or even 2000m but for his next start his is likely to stay at the Mile, but jump up to Saturday grade.