Tauranga horseman Jim Pender has ventured further north with his charge Gospodin (NZ) (Proisir) as he looks to add further Australian dollars to the bank account.
The son of Proisir has proved adept in rain-affected conditions and after impressing when second at his first Australian start in the Listed Takeover Target Stakes (1200m) at Gosford, Gospodin is now in Queensland where he will contest Saturday’s Gr.3 BRC Sprint (1350m) at Doomben, where the track is currently a Heavy 10.
“He has been a happy horse from the day he arrived and he raced accordingly at Gosford,” Pender told Bensley.
“I was over the moon with the run. He is probably not as bouncy as he was, he was on the fresher side going into that race but I am very pleased with him.”
Gospodin emerged as a very good wet-weather sprinter last winter, winning six races in a row between early June and early October.
Brock Ryan will again take the ride on the talented four-year-old on Satuday, where Pender hopes his charge can force his way into the Gr.1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 11.
“I put a nomination in for the Stradbroke but he would have to win this to get in it,” he said.
“You travel all this way so it is worth putting a nomination in. You have your fingers crossed and hope we get a reasonable draw so he doesn’t have to do a lot of work.”