Group 1 winning jockey Lachlan Neindorf will make the trip north to partner classy South Australian mare En Francais in Saturday’s $300,000 Group 2 Glasshouse Handicap (1600m) on the Sunshine Coast.
Neindorf has been aboard the mare in four of her five wins including her impressive last-start victory in the Group 2 Cummings (1600m) at Morphettville on Goodwood Day and Neindorf said he was hoping the recent wet weather in the sunshine state stays away.
“Hopefully they go ahead,’’ Neindorf said.
“It’s touch and go at this stage but I fly up there Friday morning and hopefully she runs well,’’ he said.
En Francais failed to meet her reserve at the Magic Millions Broodmare Sale on the Gold Coast in late May which prompted connections to leave her in Queensland with leading trainer David Vandyke.
En Francais trialled up nicely on the Gold Coast recently at what was her first time going the opposite direction under race pressure.
“She looked pretty good given it was her first time going the other way,’’ Neindorf said.
“It’s my first time riding that direction, but I’m looking forward to the opportunity,’’ he said.
Fellow South Australian mare Grey River has drawn the inside in the feature with Nakita Berriman partnering the Jon O’Connor-trained mare.
Former local apprentice Justin Huxtable rode the four-year-old when she was beaten 1.77 lengths behind Wollombi, who is the $4.80 favourite in the Glasshouse, at Ipswich last time out.
