Tony Gollan’s in-form filly Hijack Hussy is the top-rated nominee for the Mode Plate 2014 at Doomben Racecourse on George Moore Stakes Day this weekend.

Melbourne Cup Day winner Hijack Hussy returns to Brisbane for Saturday’s Mode Plate 2014. Photo: Sarah Ebbett.
The three-year-old daughter of Hussonet is one of 19 fellow fillies making up the early entries for this year’s $100,000 Listed Shelley Dale of OHS Mode Plate (1200m).
If accepted Hijack Hussy will be after her third win on the trot follow victories at the Gold Coast and Flemington over 1400m this season.
Her latest was the Melbourne success in the Listed Lexus Hybrid Stakes (1400m) on Melbourne Cup Day, November 4, where Michael Rodd guided her to a three-quarter length victory over Sea Spray.
She’s certain to start near the top of the Mode Plate odds then at Ladbrokes.com.au this weekend looking to bring her Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival form back home to Brisbane for the summer.
Gollan has two other Mode Plate nominations this year with Mossman filly Frilly Curtain and his last start winner over the track and distance Tina Melina.
The daughter of Jet Spur posted back-to-back wins over the 1200m at Doomben to take her record to two victories from three career starts in a three-year-olds’ handicap here on November 22.
Also coming via that same lead-up into the Mode Plate are the likes of the Gillian Heinrich-trained runner-up Lush Belle and third placegetter Shinji.
All Bar One filly Lush Belle travelled to Doomben for her first ever loss after winning her opening three career starts starting at Ipswich in May.
She then returned home and won successive races at the Gold Coast earlier in the spring before going down three-quarters of a length to Tina Melina.
Heinrich has also nominated for the progressive Overstatement coming off a third at the Sunshine Coast and striking grey Strawberry Crush.
Visiting Grafton-trained Falvelon filly Shinji meanwhile came off a second behind Arabian King back home before her third at Doomben when apprentice Priscilla Schmidt rode her over the line one and a quarter lengths off Gollan’s winner.
Other last start winners in the mix include the Michael Nolan-trained duo of Girls Command who won at Toowoomba on November 22 in a Class 2 and stable mate Rich Reward who won at Gatton the same day.
Also in the mix are the likes of Kris Lees’ visiting Sydneysider Savoureux, Trevor Bailey’s stakes winning daughter of Tale Of The Cat Tales Of Fashion after her second win over the track and distance, and the Liam Birchley-trained Ruby Soho.
Ruby Soho is the best performed of the hopefuls but hasn’t raced since January.
She was third behind Oakleigh Girl last December in the Listed Calaway Gal Stakes (1010m) before a three length Ipswich win as a juvenile at the end of the year.
Her latest start was then at the Gold Coast on January 11 when third to Unencumbered in the $2 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m), form Birchley hopes she can return to when making her much awaited comeback this summer.
See below for the full Mode Plate 2014 nominations, the final field and barriers for the set weights clash due out on Wednesday.
Before then don’t forget to with Ladbrokes.com.au to get in on the summer racing and betting action online at the hottest odds!
2014 Mode Plate Nominations
Doomben Racecourse – 06/12/2014
# | Horse | Trainer | H. Rating |
---|---|---|---|
1 | BERGDORF | Matthew Dunn | – |
2 | FELL FROM HEAVEN | Mel Eggleston | – |
3 | FRILLY CURTAIN | Tony Gollan | 62 |
4 | GIRLS COMMAND | Michael Nolan | 70 |
5 | GOLD BUTTONS | David Murphy | 59 |
6 | HIJACK HUSSY | Tony Gollan | 81 |
7 | KNIGHTWICK MANOR | Bryan Dais | – |
8 | LITTLE FIGHTER | Stuart Kendrick | 61 |
9 | LUSH BELLE | Gillian Heinrich | 72 |
10 | OUTBACK SAGA | Stewart Mackinnon | 67 |
11 | OVERSTATEMENT | Gillian Heinrich | 65 |
12 | RICH REWARD | Michael Nolan | 68 |
13 | ROSELLA | Troy Hall | 71 |
14 | RUBY SOHO | Liam Birchley | 73 |
15 | SAVOUREUX | Kris Lees | 68 |
16 | SHINJI | Paddy Cunningham | 73 |
17 | STRAWBERRY CRUSH | Gillian Heinrich | 61 |
18 | TALES OF FASHION | Trevor Bailey | 72.5 |
19 | TINA MELINA | Tony Gollan | 70 |