Currie nears magic milestone
TOOWOOMBA trainer Ben Currie edged closer to the magical 100-winner mark for the racing year after adding four more victories to his ballooning tally on Saturday.
Currie’s staggering season run continued with a second successive city win to With A Promise ($4.80) at Doomben, success on the Rockhampton Cup card with Pure Luck ($3.20) and Real Mystique ($17), and a third straight victory from Choix de Roses at Clifford Park.
“I’m not sure of the exact number but I think today puts us somewhere near the 100-win mark for the season,” Currie said.
“With a few weeks of the season left you’d think we’re a good chance of getting there and that must be close to a (Toowoomba) record.
“It was great today to see With A Promise make it two town wins in a row. She’s been unreal this time in.”
Jockey Josh Oliver partnered Pure Luck and Real Mystique while Choix de Roses ($1.70) provided New Zealand apprentice Rebecca Goldsbury with a win at her first night riding at Clifford Park.
Goldsbury has linked with the Currie stable for a Queensland riding stint.
Choix de Roses justified her short quote with a 31⁄2 length win over Kahneman ($9) in the Trackside Photography Class 3 Plate (1050m).
Former Gold Coast mare War Chest ($15) slipped under the guard of punters but her victory in the Vanderfield Hino Class 1 Handicap (1300m) came as no surprise to her new trainer Eric Hayes.
War Chest backed up her previous Gold Coast maiden win on April 15 with a 13⁄4 length victory for jockey Debi McMaster from Switch At Midnight ($7.50).
Race favourite Wine Barrel ($2.60) found the line solidly to be a short neck back third.
War Chest arrived at Hayes’s Toowoomba stable three weeks ago after being purchased by McMaster’s husband Will O’Toole.
“She came to me three weeks today and when you have a look she has some pretty handy form,” Hayes said.
“She was in good order when we got her but we’ve just had to sort a few things out with her and I was very confident about her tonight.
“Brooke Stower rode her in a gallop last Saturday morning and she said to me they wouldn’t beat her next Saturday night.
“I’d like to have another 10 like her in the stable – she’s bomb proof.”
Toowoomba trainer Steve Tregea completed a two-track winning double when Bergerac ($17) finished strongly for jockey Brad Stewart to take out the Westbrook Trailers QTIS Three-Year-Old Maiden Plate (1200m). Bergerac denied Currie a fifth win on the day when he arrived to down first-starter Mishani Seeka ($3.90) by two lengths.
Tregea also enjoyed success on the Rockhampton Cup card with Backslapper ($4.40) in the Entires and Geldings Class 3 Handicap (1200m).
Apprentice Adam Spinks was transferred to hospital for observation after appearing to escape serious injury when dislodged from Round Mountain Gal in the Create Financial Solutions Benchmark 75 Handicap (1200m).