Forster questions weights in stakes races

Trainer Desleigh Forster does not believe Queensland officials should fall into the trap of handicapping stakes races to attract southern horses.

Forster has Too Good To Refuse, who will carry the minimum 54kg, in the $200,000 Group Three George Moore Stakes at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Five NSW=trained horses were in the original nominations with three among the acceptances.

Forster said the way the race had been handicapped favoured the southern horses.

“The race was scaled down 4.5 kilograms which suited the higher weighted horses rather than my bloke. They seem to do it all the time to attract the southern horses,” Forster said.

“I know I can be accused of whingeing but they don’t do us any favours when we go south. It is good to take on the southern horses and we need them here.”

“But I was willing for my horse to have 55kg on Saturday if the visitors also had more but the way they scaled the race down stopped that.”

Forster believes Too Good To Refuse has trained on since his storming win in the Listed Keith Noud Quality at Eagle Farm two weeks ago.

“He worked well on Tuesday morning and he is bright within himself,” she said.

“You know what you will get with him. He will be out the back early doing his own thing and then running on.”

Forster said provided things went well, Too Good To Refuse would push on into the summer with a wild card to the Magic Millions Cup a possible mission.

“Then we will look to a race like the Stradbroke Handicap in the winter,” she said.

Forster said Too Good To Refuse would have to continue to climb in the ratings to be a certainty of getting a start in races like the Stradbroke.

Meanwhile, trainer Tony Gollan is set to send Group-winning gelding Didntcostalot to Sydney for the Starlight Stakes on Saturday.

“It looks a better race for him at the 1100 metres,” Gollan said.

“Instead we will rely on Most Important who has been racing very well. He has been racing more truly this campaign since he was gelded.”

Stablemate Il Riccio will also miss Saturday’s Brisbane meeting and probably run at Ipswich next week.