Follow Suit to reproduce northern form

Follow Suit returns to Brisbane racing after showing good form in a north Queensland campaign.

Trainer Lauren Abbott is confident she has found the key to Follow Suit as the gelding tries to transfer his good north Queensland form into a metropolitan win at Eagle Farm.

Follow Suit is one of several stayers leading North Queensland owner Tom Hedley bought from trainer Chris Waller to have found their way to Abbott’s stables.

Abbott was a successful Townsville-based jockey before moving to Brisbane where she helped her husband Brad Herne with a team before taking out her own trainer’s licence 18 months ago.

She has had her share of success with horses such as Allknight Saint, Keivann, Stryke One, Mort Doyle and Gold Symphony but is hoping the influx of stayers into her stable will help her establish a reputation as a city trainer.

Follow Suit will run Saturday’s Suez Pro Skips Handicap (2400m).

The gelding did his early racing in New Zealand before joining Waller’s Rosehill stable in 2017 and went on to win four races including one at Doomben in February.

Follow Suit was on-sold by Waller in his annual stable dispersal and has already been a solid performer for Hedley and Abbott.

“I took him north for the carnivals and he ran second in both the Cairns Cup and Cairns Amateur Cup. Both times he was second to The Harrovian who has a very big wrap on him,” Abbott said.

“He also ran fourth in the Townsville Amateur Cup when he got back off the pace. That run actually convinced me he needs to be let roll up on the pace.

“In both his Cairns runs he got rolling along near or in the lead. It is probably the key to him.”

Follow Suit returned to Brisbane two weeks ago and was fourth in an 1800m race at Eagle Farm.

“It was a good solid run because he was attacked in the lead. We will go forward again on Saturday but if someone wants to attack us we don’t have to lead,” Abbott said.

“He will run a strong 2400 metres while a few of the others might struggle.”

Abbott will also have another ex-Waller horse, Vassal, in the race.

“He has had a few niggling problems and is also getting out to the right distance,” Abbott said.