Court Command on Stradbroke trail

APRIL 2009: In shades of one of Queensland’s greatest ever sprinters in Daybreak Lover, Wattle Brae Stud resident stallion Court Command is on the verge of resuming his racing career for an assault on Brisbane’s premier Group 1 events.

In a bold move undertaken by Wattle Brae Stud studmaster Gary Turkington, Court Command has been put in to training with leading Brisbane trainer Liam Birchley and is only a few weeks away from resuming his brilliant race career.

Court Command trialed at Eagle Farm this week in preparation for the Group 2 QTC Sir Byrne Hart Stakes later in the month and ran out a very impressive winner.

Trainer Liam Birchley reported that he could not be any happier with the 5-year-old who is bang-on-target for his first race start since March 22, 2008.

In explaining the reasoning behind the unexpected development, Wattle Brae Stud principal Gary Turkington said: “Court Command thrived during his first season at stud in 2008 and at the beginning of the year we started to consider the option of a Queensland Winter Carnival campaign.

“It was our understanding that the horse never really returned to full health after his outstanding 3-year-old spring campaign and the season at stud did him the world of good.

“So, we conducted a blood test before making a decision to put him back in to work and found that he was in tremendous order.

“Since then, Court Command has been through the normal pre-training procedures at Washpool and has had another month or so of work at Eagle Farm, coming through both with flying colours.”

Already a multiple Group winner of four races also placed at Group 1 level, Court Commands will be aimed at the traditional lead-up events towards a possible tilt at both the BTC Doomben 10,000 and QTC Stradbroke Handicap.

History shows that these ambitious goals are achievable.

During the 1980s, the celebrated Queensland sprinter Daybreak Lover won both the 1984 and 1986 QTC Stradbroke Handicap, his second victory coming after commencing stud duties in 1985.

Turkington hopes that Court Command can return to the form that saw him emerge as one of the country’s most exciting young sprinters with victories in the Up & Coming Stakes (G3), Golden Rose (G3) and Stan Fox Stakes (G2) in Sydney.

After a subsequent Group 1 placing in the 2006 MRC Caulfield Guineas, the son of Commands only raced on another four occasions over an 18-month period due to a series of set backs which never saw him return to his best.

Court Command’s first book at Wattle Brae Stud last season comprised 109 mares and returned a fertility rate of 90-plus percent.

Before he covers his second book of mares later this year, however, Court Command has some unfinished business to attend to, with a Group 1 victory at the top of his agenda.

Author: Wattle Brae Stud 07/04/2009.