Travistee could earn NZ trip via Qld Cup

Tiffani Brooker will again ride the Paul Jenkins-trained Travistee when the mare runs at Eagle Farm.

Caloundra trainer Paul Jenkins is considering taking improved staying mare Travistee to New Zealand to chase more black-type.

In the space of seven weeks Travistee has gone from winning the Gatton Cup to being a last-start third in the Listed Caloundra Cup (2400m).

Travistee was second in the Provincial Stayers Cup and fifth in the Group Three Tattersall’s Cup between those runs.

She now looms as the local hope to break the domination of the southern stables in the Listed $200,000 Queensland Cup (3200m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Only two Queensland-trained horses have won the Cup in the past 20 years.

The Cup was first run in 1878 and held in November until a decade ago when it was switched to the winter carnival.

It is the only 3200m-race in Queensland although there is a suggestion it may be shortened to 2400m and switched back to the spring if the Brisbane Cup goes back to 3200m.

Whether that happens is of no concern to Jenkins who has carefully mapped out a genuine staying campaign for Travistee.

Jenkins has always believed the mare would get better with age and longer distances.

Jenkins won many staying feature races in his native New Zealand with his best horse Bazelle who won the 2005 Group One Auckland Cup.

His best winner in Queensland has been King Keitel in the 2001 Group One Doomben Cup.

Jenkins has rarely had more than half a dozen horses in work since he moved permanently to the Sunshine Coast in 2012.

But he has had plenty of success with 13 winners this season from just 71 runners.

Jenkins part-owns Travistee and is keen to get as much black-type for the mare as possible.

“She won’t be going to stud this year as she really has only just got up to competing in decent class,” Jenkins said.

“She carries plenty of Montjeu blood so she will stay all day.”

“There isn’t a lot for her around here after Saturday. I have in the back of my mind that I give her a month’s break and then take her to New Zealand chasing some black-type in some of the distance races.

“She can then come back here for the next autumn or winter.”

Apart from her stout breeding Jenkins has added faith Travistee will stay the 3200m on Saturday through her run in Tattersall’s Cup.

In the Tatt’s Cup (3000m) Travistee was attacked in the lead for a long way but fought on for fifth while the leader dropped out of the finish.

“It was a stout effort and she does settle in her races,” Jenkins said.

Tiffani Brooker has been Travistee’s regular rider this winter and will again be in the saddle on Saturday.

Brooker has ridden eight winners since being successful on Travistee at her first ride back from injury in the Gatton Cup.

“Tiff knows Travistee well and a win would give us both a bit of a kick along,” Jenkins said.