Spirit Of Cherokee passes barrier test

Trainer Chris Munce is confident Spirit Of Cherokee can get his career back on track at Doomben.

Promising two-year-old Spirit of Cherokee has passed a barrier trial test with flying colours and is ready for his return to racing.

Spirit of Cherokee was heavily backed to start favourite at his first start when third in a Doomben two-year-old handicap four weeks ago.

He jumped well but put in a couple of hops just after the start and ended up back in the field.

Jockey Brad Stewart said he would have led except for the unexpected hiccup and gone close to winning.

Stewards were unimpressed and ordered Spirit of Cherokee to trial before starting again.

He did that last week winning a Doomben trial by six lengths in handy time for the day.

Trainer Chris Munce has a good opinion of Spirit of Cherokee and originally hoped to have him ready for the Inglis Classic last month.

However the colt wasn’t ready and Munce decided to concentrate on Brisbane races starting with the 2YO Handicap (1200m) at Doomben on Saturday.

“He is a nice horse and now we have got over the barrier trial he should be ready,” Munce said.

Spirit of Cherokee is yet another handy horse by first season sire Spirit Of Boom who has dominated Queensland two-year-old racing this season.

Munce also has Boomsara, by Spirit of Boom, in Saturday’s race and his pair have drawn the outside barriers.

They will clash with yet another promising Spirit of Boom filly, Plumaro, after trainer Kevin Kemp elected to accept on Saturday.

Plumaro was to run at Doomben last week but the meeting was washed out and Kemp had considered spelling the filly.