Weatherleys eye Stradbroke with Pier
Richard Edmunds - Raceform • May 23rd, 2025 2:00 PM • 3 min read
Pier will stake his claim for a place in the Gr. 1 Stradbroke Handicap field when he lines up in the Gr. 3 BRC Sprint at Doomben on Saturday.
In an injury-interrupted career that spans only 11 starts, Pier has recorded four wins and three placings and has earned more than $488,000.
Last month’s Listed City Of Napier Sprint over 1200 metres was the first start since June for the five-year-old, who charged home from third-last for a close second – beaten by a half-head by Slipper Island. The third placegetter was Tomodachi, who was a dominant winner of the Gr. 3 Rotorua Stakes in her next start.
“He ran an enormous race that day, especially since he had to change ground a couple of times in the straight,” said Darryn Weatherley, who trains Pier in partnership with his daughter Briar. The former jockey also co-bred and part-owns the Proisir gelding.
“Take nothing away from the winner, but if we’d been able to follow him through instead of having to switch ground, it might have been a closer or different result. But we were delighted with his performance, which was more than enough to make it well worth putting him on a plane across to Australia.”
That trans-Tasman mission has not gone as smoothly as Weatherley might have hoped.
“Unfortunately there’s no direct flights to Brisbane, so we had to fly to Sydney and then float from there,” he said on Tuesday. “It’s like a nine-day camel ride, but it is what it is. As a result of that, he does look a bit more tucked up today than I’d ideally like, and he’s obviously having a bit of a think about things.
“But hopefully he’ll settle down over the next couple of days and get back into his normal routine. If he does that, I’d expect him to run very well this weekend. Hopefully he’ll put in a performance that will secure him a spot in the Stradbroke (at Eagle Farm on 14). That’s why we’re here.”
Pier will be ridden by in-form jockey Ethan Brown, who has recently recorded Group One victories on Jimmysstar in the Oakleigh Plate and All Aged Stakes, along with taking out the Australian Cup with Light Infantry Man.
“Ethan’s riding really well at the moment, so we’re pleased to have him on,” Weatherley said. “He’s formed a successful association with (co-owner) Ozzie Kheir, which is how that came about.”
Weatherley will also keep an eye on Saturday’s Gr. 2 Doomben Roses, which features Bella Montagna.
Now trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, the Belardo filly had five starts from the Weatherley stable earlier in the season. She ran second in the Gr. 2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day, beaten by three-quarters of a length by Real Class while third placegetter Island Life went on to win the Gr. 3 Sunline Vase.
“She was sold across the Tasman and won her first start for Gai and Adrian by four lengths, which was really good to see,” Weatherley said. “She showed plenty for us in good company earlier in the season. It’s always nice when horses come out of your stable and go on to do the job in Australia.”
