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By Graeme White

Up and coming sprinter Island Bay Boy has the opportunity to enhance his race record when he starts in the TAB Federal (1200m) at Queanbeyan on Tuesday.

The gelding has already won three of his seven starts and caught the eye with a solid first-up fifth behind rising star King Of Sparta in track record time of 1.8.1 at Kembla Grange on August 14.

Island Bay Boy (Mitchell Bell) in winning form at Canberra. Image by Bradley Photographers

Island Bay Boy’s appearance was an afterthought as trainer Tony Sergi only decided to nominate when the meeting was transferred from Canberra and switched to a few days later.

“It was only going to be six days between starts if he raced at Canberra, but then the meeting got switched to Tuesday so four days later and it was at Queanbeyan where he is trained,” he said.

“I thought he trialled brilliantly at Canberra before he raced really well at Kembla Grange after racing wide.

“He was still only beaten five lengths and if you take the wide run into account he has gone pretty close to breaking the record himself.”

Island Bay Boy is the best horse Sergi has prepared for some time and he hopes the four-year-old can make the most of an ideal opportunity from barrier two.

The trainer’s only concern is the weather forecast of some 20 millimetres of rain which will downgrade the track from the present rating of a Good 4.

“His race is the second last of the day and if the track becomes too chopped up on the inside that is a worry,” he explained.

So far, the cards have fallen perfectly for Sergi with an afterthought for a rich race at his home track set to pay dividends in the $34,000 feature

“The horse is going terrific and from an inside draw he will be hard to beat providing the track is alright,” he said.

Meanwhile, last start winner Delacour will attempt to win another Federal with two kilograms more than she carried at Canberra on August 6. Delacour will again race against Rafha’s Choice (third) and Eve’s Miss (fifth) who she accounted for over 1080m.

The four-year-old rises to 60kg for jockey Brendan Ward and will step up to 1200m.

“It’s her first start over 1200 metres for a while (February 2021), but she is settling a bit better now so hopefully she can get the trip,” trainer Norm Gardner said. “She settled well at Canberra and I just want her to travel where she is comfortable.”

Gardner hopes Delacour can keep producing to put herself in contention for a start in the $1.3 million The Kosciuszko (1200m) at Randwick on October 16.

“She has won five of her 14 starts and I think she is worth considering for The Kosciuszko if she keeps going the way she is,” he said.

“There are some other horses that have won lower graded races than what she has being mentioned so I hope she can keep winning to show she is worth looking at.”

Talented mare Exotic Deel will resume in The Federal after having not raced since March. She has a proven first-up record with two wins and as many placings from four starts for trainer Nick Olive.

Meanwhile, Gardner will also start last start Wagga winner La Valkyrie in the John McGrath Auto Group Plate (1600m). La Valkyrie started favourite when she dead-heated for first at Wagga for her first win at her 14th starts on August 8.

The mare was also bred by Gardner and like Delacour is related to some of the best gallopers he has prepared. She has had a few setbacks during her career including knee and hamstring setbacks, but now as a five-year-old has been extremely consistent.

La Valkyrie has finished in the top five in her six starts this preparation: “She never really got a crack at them last start and when she got out she flew,” he said.

Gardner has also won a race this month with Cyborg at Wagga to maintain the consistency of his stable during the first month of the new season.

View the final fields with full form & race replays for Queanbeyan here