Weetwood hopes in vital Doomben clash
Hometown feature spots on the line
Photo: Warren Lynam
Saturday shapes as make-or-break day for several Toowoomba gallopers looking to nail down a starting spot in next month’s $150,000 Weetwood Handicap at Clifford Park.
The Listed Weetwood (1200m) highlights Toowoomba Turf Club’s April 7 feature meeting launching this year’s Queensland Winter Carnival program.
Eight Toowoomba-trained horses are amongst 14 entries for Saturday’s Open Handicap (1110m) at Doomben which shapes as an unofficial Weetwood prelude.
Each of them is either in line for a Weetwood start or are looking to force their way into the 14-horse field.
The Tony Sears-trained pair Choice Bro and Hard Stride are both Doomben entries and
look safely through to the Weetwood along with With A Promise from the Ben Currie stable and Tisani Tomso for trainer Kevin Kemp.
Amanaat, I Am The General, Our Beebee and Mr Marbellouz all need wins on Saturday in an effort to boost their handicap ratings and put themselves in the frame for a hometown feature crack.
Mr Marbellouz and Our Beebee are also nominated for Class 6 (1200m) events on Saturday.
Trainer Rex Lipp is putting all his Weetwood eggs in one basket with Our Beebee who resumes from a three-month break this weekend.
“The plan for her is the Weetwood if she can make the field,” Lipp said.
“We’re aiming her first-up at Doomben and hopefully the Weetwood two weeks later if we can get there.”
■ EUREKA Stud stallion Spirit Of Boom, as anticipated, led a record opening day on Monday to this year’s Gold Coast March Yearling Sale.
All 21 of the first-season’s sires’ yearlings offered were sold and 19 of them were amongst the top 23 top sellers.
Five yearlings by Spirit Of Boom were sold for $200,000 or more, highlighted by a filly from Regal Tier which was purchased by John Morrisey for $250,000.
Day-one sales grossed more than $6 million with 139 lots selling at an average price of $43,399 and clearance rate of 77 per cent.
The average price was up 45 per cent on day one last year.
The sale concluded yesterday.
■ FORMER Toowoomba trainer Tony Gollan had his debut Golden Slipper hopes boosted yesterday after Ef Troop drew barrier two for Saturday’s $3.5 million two-yearold feature at Rosehill.