Lord Of The Sky is set to take his place in the Stradbroke Handicap, but trainer Robbie Laing is yet to lock in a rider for the $ 2 million race.

Laing confirmed on Tuesday that Lord Of The Sky would start in Saturday’s 1350m race at Doomben after working “brilliantly” at Cranbourne and he said the horse would be flown to Brisbane on Friday.

Damien Oliver has ridden Lord Of The Sky in his past two Group One starts for seconds in the TJ Smith Stakes and The Goodwood.

Laing said the champion jockey Oliver was staying in Melbourne to ride at Moonee Valley on Saturday.

With Laing deciding to run the sprinter on what is expected to be a good-rated track, it leaves Stradbroke favourite Lumosty in danger of missing a start.

The Robert Smerdon-trained filly will be left as a likely first emergency if El Roca also accepts on Wednesday.

Laing was delighted with the way Lord Of The Sky worked on Tuesday in the clockwise direction and even more so by the way he pulled up from the gallop.

“I’ve been training him towards it and then we just didn’t know how the field was going to stand up,” Laing said.

“I was originally pretty frightened of Our Boy Malachi but he’s gone by the wayside and then I was a bit worried about Gai’s horse (Gai Waterhouse-trained Najoom) and it is not going to accept.

“It’s fallen away a bit and he’s in such good health and he worked brilliantly again this morning.

“His last three starts have all been at Group One level, he brings really good Group One form to the race and he drops to 54 kilos.”

Lord Of The Sky finished fourth in the Newmarket Handicap three starts ago before his seconds in the TJ Smith and The Goodwood.

If Lumusty does not gain a start in the Stradbroke on Saturday she will run in the Dane Ripper Stakes on the same program before heading to the Group One Tattersall’s Tiara.

Article from justhorseracing.com.au