Jerram Wall holds Platinum Invador after his Auckland Cup win at Pukekohe in March. PHOTO: Megan Liefting/Race Images.
Don’t expect too much from Platinum Invador in opening bowl around Doomben on Saturday
By Barry Lichter • 11 May 2023
Update: Scratched with temperature
Platinum Invador’s connections will be happy just to see him running on strongly in Saturday’s A$200,000 Chairman’s Handicap at Doomben.
The opening race of the horse’s Queensland campaign is over only 2000 metres, a distance expected to be too sharp for the Auckland Cup winner, says part-owner Neville McAlister, who races the horse with Lincoln Farms’ John and Lynne Street.
“This is the only race that leads in to the Premiers Cup (2400m) on May 27 and as long as he’s hitting the line we’ll know we’re on track.
“From the wide draw he’ll get back in the field and in what is a pretty strong field it will all be tempo related after that.
“They do tend to run a bit more in Queensland than other states and if there’s a lot of speed early that would bring him more into the race.”
Platinum Invador, who is stabled with Liam Birchley on the Sunshine Coast, is being looked after by trainer Lisa Latta’s experienced hand Jerram Wall, who first accompanied McAlister’s Platinum Witness on her Queensland Oaks campaign in 2015.
It is the seven-year-old’s second trip to Queensland after his aborted campaign in 2021 when he was found to have injured a tendon after running fourth behind Warning in the same Chairman’s Handicap.
Platinum Invador has only 1kg more to carry on Saturday, despite winning the Auckland Cup three starts back, but as a 58.5kg equal topweight he meets a stronger line-up.
Warning is there again, along with last year’s Chairmans winner the Chris Waller-trained Yonkers, who has been backed in from $11 to $8.50 with James McDonald aboard.
But the most favoured is Kris Lees’ lightly raced import Kalapour, part-owned by leading Kiwi owner Lib Petanga, who is getting 4.5kg from Platinum Invador ($18, $5).
“These are better horses than he’s been running against and even though getting back onto a good track will help him and he goes better that way round, we’re not expecting too much of him.”
Platinum Invador’s grand final is expected to be the Group II A$400,000 Brisbane Cup (3200m) at Eagle Farm on June 10.
Platinum Invador races at 4.43pm NZ time at Doomben on Saturday.
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Lisa’s comments
Saturday at Trentham
Race 2: Platinum Tyche
1.05pm
“This is a big drop-back in class for her as her last two races have been very strong rating 75s. The track at Otaki was particularly wet and she just didn’t handle it. She has come through that run in fantastic order and is very bright and well. She shouldn’t be too far off the leaders from the good draw and I expect her to bounce back to form providing we get a decent track.”
Race 8: Platinum Attack
4.43pm
“He drew the outside barrier in this race last year and has been dealt the same card again. He couldn’t be looking any better though and his work has been phenomenal. He is right where he needs to be to win a race like this. We are going to need some luck from the draw but Craig Grylls knows him well now and I thought that he is certainly one of the better horses in the race. If he gets clear air at the right time then he will finish with a big run.”