Trainer Con Karakatsanis is hoping his good friend, jockey Matthew Palmer, is also a good judge ahead of News Alert's assignment in the Group Three Healy Stakes at Eagle Farm.News Alert was heavily backed when he won the Listed Chief De Beers Handicap (1110m) at Doomben last month before the four-year-old toughed out a game third on another heavy track to Keano in the Listed Lightning Handicap (1000m) at Eagle Farm on June 6.Karakatsanis, who has been training for less than 18 months, won his fi

Trainer Con Karakatsanis is hoping his good friend, jockey Matthew Palmer, is also a good judge ahead of News Alert's assignment in the Group Three Healy Stakes at Eagle Farm.

News Alert was heavily backed when he won the Listed Chief De Beers Handicap (1110m) at Doomben last month before the four-year-old toughed out a game third on another heavy track to Keano in the Listed Lightning Handicap (1000m) at Eagle Farm on June 6.

Karakatsanis, who has been training for less than 18 months, won his first Group One when Black Piranha took out the Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) on the same day as the Lightning.

The Sydney trainer was keen to run News Alert in last week's Listed Eye Liner Stakes (1200m) at Ipswich but had second thoughts and elected to wait another week until the Healy Stakes over the same distance.

"I wanted to run him in the Eye Liner but he's had two tough runs on heavy tracks so I thought it would be best to wait another week," Karakatsanis said.

"He also threw a front shoe last start which meant he didn't travel that well in the Lightning."

News Alert, who will be ridden by Stradbroke-winning jockey Tye Angland, was given a jumpout this week to prepare him for the Healy Stakes.

"I'm staying with Matt Palmer and I've become close friends with him over the past two years," Karakatsanis said.

"Matty rode him in the unofficial jumpout and said he went terrific.

"I'm sure I've done the right thing by waiting for this race and the horse is going along well.

"He's spot-on. It's a hard race but I think my horse will be hard to hold out."

Karakatsanis rates Melbourne sprinter Keano as the main threat to News Alert who will head to Grafton next month for the Listed Ramornie Handicap (1200m).

"I ran Goldam in last year's Ramornie but we didn't have any luck," he said.

Goldam, who is now trained by Grahame Begg, finished 10th to The Jackal in last year's Ramornie Handicap.

Keano's trainer Danny O'Brien is looking for a belated wedding present from the three-year-old who will be aimed at the Melbourne spring sprints.

O'Brien, who will also be hoping to win the final Group One race of the season with Absolut Glam in the Winter Stakes (1400m), married Nina Begagic last Saturday and is in Thailand on his honeymoon.

His long-serving stable manager Paul Koumis will be in charge of the stable's Eagle Farm representatives.