There were three stakes races at Eagle Farm on Saturday, but strangely, the richest race on the card carries no Black Type, but offers something far more valuable as the winner of the $300,000 The Gateway (1400m) earns a golden ticket into the $3million Group I BRC Stradbroke Handicap in 2026.
Annabel and Rob Archibald elected to have a throw at the stumps with talented four year-old Zoustar gelding Tuned, who saluted at Rosehill last Sunday and were well rewarded.
He carried 60kg to win that Benchmark 78 event and then had the quick six day back up plus a trip to Brisbane, but Tuned took it all in his stride.
Ridden by Ben Thompson, Tuned gave everything he had under pressure to fight back and beat Band of Brothers by a head after the pair staged a titanic dual to the finish.
"Tuned is just super tough," said Annabel Archibald.
"He won in Sydney last Sunday, so I thought we might as well have a look at this race.
"When I was doing a pre-race report (to owners) I was saying he was on a seven-day back-up, but then I realised he was only on a six-day back-up as they moved the Sydney races last weekend.
"So that's an even tougher performance from him, only a six-day turnaround.
"It's very exciting to have a ticket into the Stradbroke, I think now he's in race like that it will be a case of trying to get him there with a light weight."
A $500,000 Inglis Premier purchase from the Blue Gum Farm draft for his co-trainer, Tuned runs in the Trilogy Racing colours for a big syndicate of owners with his overall record now six wins and four placings from 13 starts with prizemoney of $500,000 and change.
Tuned is a half-brother to Group III winner Bruckner and stakes-placed Triple Jay being one of three winners from three foals to race from metro winning Lonhro mare Jestajingle, a half-sister to Group III winner Jukebox from stakes-winner Jestatune.
Blue Gum Farm topped the 2024 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale when selling a Snitzel filly from Jestajingle for $925,000, but the three year-old filly is yet to race.
Jestajingle was sold earlier this year at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale for $660,000 to Longwood Thoroughbred Farm in foal to Zoustar and produced a full sister to Tuned in August for her new owners.
