Startantes has sneaked into Saturday's Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm and her trainer Robert Heathcote believes the filly only requires a little more luck to be in the mix for the $1.5million race.
Startantes is yet to strike at stakes level but, having finished third in the Group 1 Flight Stakes in the spring and second in the Group 1 Surround Stakes in February, she is rated a 16/1 chance to make her breakthrough on the weekend, when she jumps from barrier 15 under Taylor Marshall.
Heathcote hopes for better luck
In three runs during the Brisbane carnival the three-year-old has finished unplaced when running on from back in the field.
"Startantes has had zero luck her last two runs, she's been back looking for clear runs and hasn't been able to get it," Heathcote said.
"Taylor Marshall goes back on and he knows her. We've already talked about it, he's going to need luck because she's a backmarker."
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Heathcote will have three runners in the valuable event and believes Emerald Kingdom could be his dark horse in the race.
Hea dded: "My long shot actually beat Apache Chase two runs ago in Rockhampton, he was very unlucky in the BRC Sprint and he'll go better than his odds reflect."
Emerald Kingdom will break from barrier two with Kerrin McEvoy on board, while the Heathcote team will be completed by Group 1 winner Rothfire, who is available to back at 16/1, having drawn out wide in barrier 20 for Tommy Berry.
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