Trainer Greg Hickman has admitted to having a slight concern about Queensland Derby-bound Definite Choice's hopes of winning the Group Three Gunsynd Classic at Eagle Farm.Hickman arrived in Brisbane on Wednesday with Definite Choice and stablemate Shabana who is headed to the Group One Queensland Oaks (2400m) at Eagle Farm in June.Both three-year-olds were entered for Saturday's 1600m Gunsynd Classic, formerly the Doomben Classic, but Hickman was reluctant for the pair to clash and elected to ru
Trainer Greg Hickman has admitted to having a slight concern about Queensland Derby-bound Definite Choice's hopes of winning the Group Three Gunsynd Classic at Eagle Farm.
Hickman arrived in Brisbane on Wednesday with Definite Choice and stablemate Shabana who is headed to the Group One Queensland Oaks (2400m) at Eagle Farm in June.
Both three-year-olds were entered for Saturday's 1600m Gunsynd Classic, formerly the Doomben Classic, but Hickman was reluctant for the pair to clash and elected to run Shabana in the McGuires Hotels Class Six Handicap (1600m).
Definite Choice was given an easy gallop at Deagon, on Brisbane's northern outskirts, on Thursday but it was his appearance which raised Hickman's concerns.
"He looks a bit fat for my liking," Hickman said.
"I brought him here thinking he could win this race on Saturday but I'm in two minds now.
"It was a bit noisy at trackwork with all the roadworks going on but he still worked well."
Hickman was pleased with Definite Choice's work and plans to run the son of Not A Single Doubt in the traditional lead-up races before the Group One Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm on June 12.
Hickman is confident Definite Choice can prove himself over 2400 metres after finishing fourth to subsequent Victoria Derby winner Monaco Consul in the Group One Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Randwick in October.
"That was a good run. He loomed up on the heavy track in the Spring Champion and died on his run," he said.
"He's a better horse on top of the ground."
After a first-up failure over an unsuitable 1200 metres at Rosehill in March, Definite Choice ran an encouraging fifth to Star Of Octagonal last start in the Group Three South Pacific (1400m) at Randwick on April 17.
"His last run was super. Another horse played up in the barriers for a while and he went to sleep," Hickman said.
Hickman, who has booked Larry Cassidy to ride Definite Choice and Shabana, is yet to win a race on a Brisbane racetrack.
The biggest win of his career was with Royal Purler in the Group One Flight Stakes (1600m) at Randwick in 2002 while his greatest triumph in Queensland was winning the Group Two Prime Minister's Cup (2400m) at the Gold Coast with Sir Dex in 2005.
Hickman conceded Shabana had had an unusual preparation for the Queensland Oaks.
"It's been a bit of a funny preparation for her but she's a good filly and I've got a good opinion of her," he said.
"She's only just won as a maiden over 1200 metres and she's going to 1600 metres on Saturday and then steps up to 1800 metres next start.
"She ran second to Faint Perfume at Warwick Farm nearly a year ago and she had to have a month out recently after she had a small problem when I was going to run her at Newcastle."