Gear change for Gentleman Roy in Stradbroke Handicap

Gentleman Roy will attempt to become a Group 1 winner for more than 30 minutes in Saturday’s Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm.

Gentleman Roy joined the Group 1 honour roll when he was first past the post in the C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield in February.

However, stewards stripped Gentleman Roy of that win after Jacquinot’s connections successfully protested against the Ben and JD Hayes-trained galloper.

Gentleman Roy has missed a place in all subsequent runs, not helping his chances by missing the start when midfield at his last outing in the Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup.

JD Hayes said the Lindsay Park team was surprised to see the on-pacer bungle the start in the Kingsford Smith Cup but was confident there would not be a repeat in the Stradbroke Handicap.

“He missed the start and he never usually does that,” Hayes said.

“We think it might be a one-off and we’ll see the Gentleman Roy of old in the Stradbroke.

“We knew the Kingsford Smith was going to be more of a conditioning run and then he basically had a trial once he missed the start.”

Hayes said the stable decided to revert to an old piece of gear to aid Gentleman Roy’s concentration at the start of Queensland’s biggest race.

“We just went with the slight gear change,” Hayes said.

“He ran some very, very good races with the winkers on earlier in his career so we decided to tinker with the gear.

“Hopefully that gives him the assistance that he needs to be nice and calm in the barriers and he can jump well.

“If he jumps, he’ll put himself right there and will run a much better race than he did last start but it’s a very good Stradbroke field.”

The Stradbroke Handicap will be Gentleman Roy’s seventh run of 2023 and 11th of the season but Hayes said the son of So You Think was showing no signs of needing a break.

“He’s a lovely fit and strong gelding, who’s very sound,” Hayes said.

“He eats up and it’s very easy to pick when he’s had enough but he’s definitely not showing any signs of that.”

Drawing perfectly in barrier two will also give champion jockey Craig Williams the ability to push Gentleman Roy forward to race in his favoured on-pace position early in the $3m event.

Gentleman Roy will also drop 4.5kg after racing at weight-for-age last time out.

“We’ll just fire him out of the gates as usual,” Hayes said.

“He’s come out of it much fitter and he’s right in the spot where we want him.

“Hopefully he does what we know he can.”

TAB rated Gentleman Roy a $23 chance to become the eighth Victorian-trained Stradbroke Handicap winner in the last 15 years.

The Mike Moroney-trained Tofane was the last Victorian-trained horse to win the Stradbroke in 2021.