Premier Brisbane trainer Tony Gollan will have a large number of runners at Doomben on Saturday but much interest in his team will centre of the debut of two-year-old Knight Mariner (NZ) (Tavistock).
The colt, who will be having his first start in the Madam Wu Two Year Old (1350m), has impressed in a recent trial.
Knight Mariner was picked out of Riverrock Farm’s 2018 NZB Ready To Run Sale draft for $240,000 by Gollan's bloodstock adviser John Foote, as a possible future stayer.
He is bred to be a top-class stayer being by the sire of many Group One staying race winners in Tavistock and out of the staying bred mare Soltina (NZ) who is a half-sister to Group One winner Captivate.
Gollan first trialled Knight Mariner in February when he ran second and then put him away to further mature.
"He is a lovely big horse, but he isn't the full package just yet," Gollan said.
"Knight Mariner is bred to be a good stayer and maybe he could be our Derby horse next year. But that is getting a long way in front of ourselves and let's take things slowly.
"Whatever he does on Saturday he will improve on. But I like giving these staying bred horses their first starts over a bit of ground late in the season."
Knight Mariner was second in handy time in a trial at Doomben two weeks ago when he hit the line hard. Jim Byrne, who rode him in the trial, will again have the mount on Saturday. -AAP