Hurtle Myrtle has pleased Matthew Smith in the 48 hours since her Eagle Farm win but her recovery isn't enough to convince the trainer to stray from a two-start Brisbane program.On the back of a weight allowance following her Dane Ripper Stakes win, Hurtle Myrtle was elevated into the Stradbroke Handicap field in a revised ballot issued on Monday.But Smith said he wasn't tempted to shift the focus of Hurtle Myrtle's winter campaign to chase the $1 million Stradbroke purse."We are going to stick
Hurtle Myrtle has pleased Matthew Smith in the 48 hours since her Eagle Farm win but her recovery isn't enough to convince the trainer to stray from a two-start Brisbane program.
On the back of a weight allowance following her Dane Ripper Stakes win, Hurtle Myrtle was elevated into the Stradbroke Handicap field in a revised ballot issued on Monday.
But Smith said he wasn't tempted to shift the focus of Hurtle Myrtle's winter campaign to chase the $1 million Stradbroke purse.
"We are going to stick with the same plan and keep her for the Winter Stakes," Smith said.
"Running her in the Stradbroke and then the Winter Stakes would mean she would have three runs in four weeks.
"She's the type of horse who takes a little bit of time to get over a race.
"If I was training a different sort of horse, backing up into the Stradbroke would certainly be on the cards."
Hurtle Myrtle was rated a $26 Stradbroke chance in revised markets.
In one of her best wins, Hurtle Myrtle produced her trademark finishing sprint to beat Zero Rock and Culimate in the Group Two Dane Ripper Stakes.
It was her second win after spending almost 12 months out of racing.
"The Winter Stakes has always been target and now we've come this far it would be a shame to fall at the final hurdle by trying our luck in the Stradbroke," Smith said.
The $500,000 Winter Stakes, the final Group One race of the Australian racing season, will be run at Eagle Farm on June 25.