Race bosses set for high Stakes shootout
SATURDAY afternoon’s Group 3 George Moore Stakes at Doomben will pit the current Cairns Jockey Club president against the former boss of the local club.
After four years in the role, John Piccone stepped down as CJC president in April 2017, replaced by racing identity and property developer Tom Hedley.
The local businessmen both have shares in a number of horses and two of their stable stars will go head to head in the $200,000 1200m event tomorrow afternoon.
Hedley’s Tyzone, now trained by Toby Edmonds on the Gold Coast, will be second up going into the race after running an encouraging fourth earlier this month.
And, the former president of CJC, will be watching for a sharp return from Monsieur Gustave, with the gelding back for his first race start since May.
Piccone was not interested in throwing any pre-race banter at his successor, but is hoping for a Far North quinella tomorrow afternoon.
“It will be a good race,” Piccone said.
“It would be great if we got the quinella — that would be fantastic.
“I would be happy for Tom if Tyzone won but I would be just as happy if Monsieur Gustave won.
“Tom is doing a great job at the Jockey Club at the moment.”
Piccone spent 11 years on the club’s committee, almost four as president.
Six-year-old gelding Monsieur Gustave won four straight races through the mid to late 2017 but battled injury in his late preparation through the early months of this year.
The Darryl Hansen-trained gelding trialled at the Sunshine Coast earlier this month with connections optimistic he has returned fit.
“It all depends on how he has come back, he had an injury last campaign that we were not aware of until we found it,” Piccone said.
“That is why he had such a big break.”
Piccone will be glued to Sky Racing on Saturday afternoon with three horses he owns shares in going around at Doomben.
First-starter Boomstress is on debut in the $125,000 Sizzling Plate (1050m) while Magnufighter, who also is owned by Alison and Nick Trompf, Advance Cairns’ chief executive, will step up in distance to 2000m for the first time.
IT WILL BE A GOOD RACE. IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE GOT THE QUINELLA — THAT WOULD BE FANTASTIC. FORMER CJC BOSS JOHN PICCONE