Dan Morton to book place in winter history

WA trainer Dan Morton (l) will return to Brisbane for the first time in many years with Man Booker.

Perth trainer Dan Morton believes he has the right horse in Man Booker to end his recent Group One drought in Queensland.

Man Booker has drawn the outside barrier in the Group One Doomben 10,000 on Saturday but the likely way the 1200m-race will be run should suit him.

Morton and his father Len have had plenty of success in Queensland with horses such as Scenic Shot and Scenic Blast.

“Scenic Shot loved it in Queensland. He won two Doomben Cups, a Brisbane Cup, Hollindale Stakes and Eagle Farm Stakes,” Morton said.

Scenic Blast, who won three Group One sprints in Australia and the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot also raced in Brisbane.

“He had been all around the world by the time he came back to Australia and we took him to Brisbane. Sea Siren just beat him in a couple of Group Ones,” Morton said.

While Man Booker is not yet in the class of either of those horses, he has shown plenty of ability and has earned just under $1 million.

The 2015 West Australian Guineas winner, Man Booker had a long spell after having trouble with his feet in 2017.

He returned last year in August and won the Listed Farnley Stakes and the Group Three Northerly Stakes in Perth.

In his Northerly win he beat the West Australian star mare Galaxy Star.

“Galaxy Star is one of many good horses owned by Bob Peters. To beat her showed my horse has some class,” Morton said.

“I think there is another level up with him and he is still relatively lightly raced.”

Man Booker has not started since finishing fifth in the Group One Railway Stakes in Perth in December.

“I was happy with his trial before we brought him across here and he worked strongly at Doomben this week,” Morton said.

“He has early pace but there looks to be a lot of speed in the 10,000 so I wouldn’t expect him to be in a battle for the lead.

“He is here for the 10,]000, Kingsford Smith Cup and Stradbroke. It has been a while between Group Ones in Queensland for us and Man Booker might be the horse to end the drought.”

Jake Bayliss, who has ridden with success in New Zealand and Victoria, will ride Man Booker.

The brother of Hong Kong-based jockey Regan Bayliss, he has based himself in Queensland for the winter and rode a double at Ipswich last Saturday.