Stradbroke start up in air for Cup winner

Saturday 30 May 2015, 3:19pm

Sydney sprinter Ball Of Muscle is a doubtful Stradbroke Handicap starter despite winning at Doomben on Saturday.

A decision on a Stradbroke start for Ball of Muscle is important for the connections of ruling favourite Lumosty who is rated a borderline chance of making the field.

Sent out favourite, Ball Of Muscle ($3.30) beat the ballot for the Stradbroke with a neck win over That's A Good Idea ($3.70) in the Group Two QTC Cup.

Kuro ($3.70), a stablemate of the winner, was third, a further short half-head away.

Ball Of Muscle has now won eight of his 13 starts but trainer Joe Pride is not sure the gelding could run out a strong 1350m in the Stradbroke next Saturday.

"My first inclination is to not run in the Stradbroke. It was a good run today but I will have to have a discussion with connections," Pride said.

He said he and jockey Glyn Schofield had decided to let Hugh Bowman on That's A Good Idea lead if he wanted.

"But it didn't work out that way because That's A Good Idea wasn't fast enough to lead us," Pride said.

Pride said he was also inclined not to run Kuro in the Stradbroke.

Kuro is paid up for the $2 million race but, again, Pride will have a lengthy discussion with connections about whether to start.

"It was a brave run today as he had to give weight to some experienced and tough sprinters. I don't want to overtax him by running him if there is a chance he will be flat," Pride said.

Kiwi galloper El Roca was specked at big odds but was never a winning chance and finished fifth.

"He just isn't letting down when asked for an effort at this stage of his campaign," jockey Tommy Berry said.

– AAP

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