Craig Williams made a rushed trip from Melbourne to partner Ortensia in a gallop at Doomben on Wednesday but is no closer to deciding if he'll ride the filly in the Group One Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm on Saturday week.Ortensia will automatically qualify for the $1 million feature over 1400 metres if she wins the Group Two QTC Cup (1300m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.However, if she's beaten she could still miss the Stradbroke as she remains a borderline contender although her place in the o
Craig Williams made a rushed trip from Melbourne to partner Ortensia in a gallop at Doomben on Wednesday but is no closer to deciding if he'll ride the filly in the Group One Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm on Saturday week.
Ortensia will automatically qualify for the $1 million feature over 1400 metres if she wins the Group Two QTC Cup (1300m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
However, if she's beaten she could still miss the Stradbroke as she remains a borderline contender although her place in the order of entry improved sharply after first acceptors for Queensland's premier sprint were taken on Wednesday.
The Melbourne filly is now 25th in order of entry after several dropouts for the Stradbroke compared to her ranking of 34 on Tuesday.
Williams is faced with the daunting task of choosing his Stradbroke mount from Ortensia and the Grahame Begg-trained All Silent who stormed down the outside rail to finish third to Apache Cat in the Group One Doomben 10,000 (1350m) last Saturday.
Williams is booked to ride Ortensia in the QTC Cup and the filly's trainer Tony Noonan believes he has a firm booking from the Melbourne jockey for the Stradbroke.
"As far as I'm aware Craig gave me confirmation a week ago he'll be riding her in the Stradbroke," Noonan said.
However, Williams is not expected to announce his decision until after he confers with his manager following Wednesday's Sandown meeting in Melbourne.
But it could come too late for Begg who is rapidly losing patience over the jockey's indecision.
"I've been fair to Craig so far by giving him plenty of time to decide but if I don't hear from him by the close of business today then Hugh Bowman will ride All Silent in the Stradbroke," Begg said.
Ortensia rocketed into Stradbroke calculations following her explosive victory in the Listed Glenlogan Park Stud Stakes (1350m) at Doomben on May 16 and is the $6 second favourite behind All Silent at $4.60.
Noonan doubts Ortensia's order of entry in the Stradbroke will improve much before final acceptances next week after 35 horses were paid up as first acceptors on Wednesday.
"I don't think there's going to be many more dropouts for the Stradbroke," Noonan said.
"She'll have to run now on Saturday and win the QTC Cup to be assured of starting in the Stradbroke.
"Craig (Williams) flew up to ride her over 1200 metres at Doomben today and he was very pleased with her work."
Noonan is keeping a close watch on Brisbane's weather and warned he will take a punt on the filly gaining a Stradbroke berth by scratching the three-year-old from the QTC Cup if Eagle Farm is badly rain affected.
Eagle Farm is currently rated slow but course manager Bill Shuck predicts a dead surface if fine weather continues to the weekend.
"If the track is slow she won't be running and we'll have to take our chances for the Stradbroke," Noonan said.
"She'll only go around on a dead track or better."