Toowoomba Runners on Pace for Festive Season
Toowoomba racing is at its peak heading into the festive season thanks to the influx of classy runners competing in metropolitan races, bigger Clifford Park fields and growing jump-out heats.
There are 21 Toowoomba horses running in Eagle Farm’s eight-race card tomorrow and while the heat is on in Brisbane, Clifford Park will host a bumper seven-race program, boasting
84 acceptances which equates to an average of 12 runners per race.
While some trainers will be busy battling for supremacy early in the metro program, Toowoomba trainer Ron Macrae has his sights set on the Hanachi Gold Edition Plate 1200m, a $100,000 race named after the Toowoomba Group 1 winner Gold Edition.
His three-year-old gelding Aquatorial is competing against two other Toowoomba horses, Mr Favoulous and Double Impact, and Macrae thinks he is up to the task.
“I know my horse can go more than 1200m, where the others may not be able to and fall short. A hundred metres is a lot to a horse,” Macrae said.
Macrae said although the galloper is well-matched to the distance and the weights have been distributed evenly, the large field is a concern.
“This will be his third run back from a spell and he’s spot on for 1200m. The good thing is all the colts are carrying 56kg and the fillies 54kg, so it’s a level playing field. He’ll be very competitive tomorrow but in a big field of 17, you’ve got to have a bit of luck,” he said.
The Gold Edition Plate is the stable’s ideal stepping stone to the Magic Millions Fillies & Mares Handicap 1300m held on January 14, as eligibility does not come easy.
“We’d like a bit more money in the bank heading into the Magic Millions, so it’s a nice lead up to the Magic Millions 1400m race. After tomorrow we’ll take him to a 1350m at Doomben then onto the Gold Coast.”
As soon as betting opened for Eagle Farm today, it was clear that Aquatorial is vying for favouritism in race seven, while Tony Sears-trained The Ringmaster and Norm Hilton-trained Carry Me Bluey took up their spots as favourites in races four and five.
The match race that has everyone talking is between Ghostnthedarkness from the Michael Nolan stable and Sears’ The Ringmaster, as both are one run back from a spell and both are in great form.
The two four-year-olds will enter The John Sutton 50th No Metro Wins Handicap 1200m as neighbours in the barrier, and with Brooke Richardson carrying 56.5kg with a 3kg claim for Nolan and Brad Stewart lumped with 56kg for Sears, Richardson will have the edge in the weights.
The week leading into Saturday’s events has been a good indicator of the industry’s health at this time of year, as entries in the Toowoomba Cushion Track jump-outs ballooned to over 110 on Tuesday.
Story - Brandon Long
Photo - Trackside Photography
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