Gold Coast trainer Brian Guy could be looking at a lucrative Eagle Farm quinella on Queensland Cup Day this Saturday with his promising young stablemates Noisy Ocean and Red Royal set to face off in the Geon Group Plate.
One of the richest races on the Eagle Farm race-card for Saturday, the $250,000 Geon Group QTIS 600 2YO Plate (1400m) features a quality field of juveniles including Guy’s duo.
Shovhog gelding Noisy Ocean, drawn awkwardly in barrier 18 with Larry Cassidy booked for the ride, is the current equal $4 favourite with Barry Baldwin’s emerging Jet Spur filly Belle D’Amour.
“The wide barrier is a bit disappointing with Noisy Ocean but what can you do,” Guy said.
“I’ll just leave it up to Larry (Cassidy).”
Well-tried with eight career starts to their name including a hat-trick of runs at Eagle Farm, Noisy Ocean comes into Saturday’s showdown on the back of a narrow second to Mahisara in the Listed Centenary Classic Stakes (1400m).
There was just a quarter-length stopping Noisy Ocean from securing the Listed feature on June 25, a brave effort considering they missed the start and were forced to race wide throughout.
“In his last start in the Listed race he was three deep and last during the run and I think in one more stride he probably wins the race,” Guy said.
“I think if the horse has a bit of luck and gets cover he can be there in the finish.”
Despite Noisy Ocean being well fancied in the Geon Group Plate markets, Guy also isn’t undermining the claims of Red Royal in the race.
The Red Dazzler colt is paying a very generous $41 to claim an upset, despite their advantageous barrier eight draw, to move in with the non-run of the emergencies, and Joe Bowditch to ride.
A winner of just one of their seven starts so far, Red Royal was eighth in the Centenary Classic last-start finishing four lengths from the winner.
“The other day Red Royal had an outside alley and Chris (Munce) had to use him up early,” Guy said.
“He was still there well into the straight but then just knocked up the last bit.
“From a better barrier, ridden off the pace a bit, I think he’s a better chaser.”
Guy believes Red Royal is ripe for improvement and a shock win from the double-figure roughie wouldn’t be a surprise to him especially with their nice draw.
“I have never worked them together but both run similar time on the track,” Guy said of Red Royal and Noisy Ocean.
“The only time so far that he’s (Red Royal has) drawn a good barrier he won easily at the Gold Coast (over 1400m on June 11).”
Still, the class of Noisy Ocean is hard to go past with Guy expecting the up-and-coming runner to add plenty more to their current $216,000 earnings over the coming season.
Already Guy is eyeing off the $1 million Magic Millions Guineas (1400m) at the Gold Coast next year with Noisy Ocean, purchased for just $15,000 as a yearling.
