Celtic Dances Into Stradbroke Field

Tue 5 Jun

The Noel Doyle trained Celtic Dancer has forced his way into the Stradbroke field following a 0.5kg penalty for his G2 QTC Cup victory last Saturday at Eagle Farm.

The four-year old sprinter will now carry 52.5kg in the Stradbroke after Joe Pride chose not to accept with his charge Neeson. The Gold Coast trainer, who came close to a Stradbroke victory with Don't Play more than twenty years ago, was elated to secure a start in this year's feature with Celtic Dancer.

"It's nice to be in it, especially when we thought we weren't going to make it," Doyle told Shane Anderson on Racing Ahead this morning. "He's a tough little horse and the conditions really suited him last Saturday as did the inside barrier. "If he got conditions to suit again this week, he'd be a chance again.

"Given that he had a run last weekend, I won't do a lot with him between now and Saturday. He's fit enough."

Celtic Dancer is currently a $31 chance with TAB Sportsbet behind the John O'Shea trained Sea Siren at $5.50, who is attempting to become the first horse in history to complete the BTC Cup, Doomben 10,000 and Stradbroke Handicap treble.