NSW rider hops aboard
Apprentice in Clifford Park debut
RACING: Northern New South Wales apprentice Leah Kilner will look to become the latest rider to hitch onto the winning Ben Currie wagon at Clifford Park on Sunday.
Kilner will make her Toowoomba debut with three rides on the eight-race Clifford Park card — including two for the Currie stable.
The 3kg claimer is due to partner Isn’t She Elegant in the CRT Class 6 Handicap (1625m) and RAFF Group Benchmark Handicap (1000m) hopeful, Isis Magic.
Currie — who provided leading Toowoomba apprentice Baylee Nothdurft with his first city winner at Doomben on Wednesday aboard Pure Pulse — said a lack of depth in the 3kg ranks led him to offer Kilner her Clifford Park opportunity.
Kilner has ridden 25 winners this season with 10 of those arriving at Grafton.
“She has ridden a fair few winners and is quite experienced around the Northern Rivers area,” Currie said.
“She has just got her Queensland provincial licence and with not a lot of 3kg claimers around at the moment we’re happy to give her an opportunity.” Currie rates Isn’t She Elegant as one of his best credentialed hopes amongst his eight Sunday acceptors.
“You would think on her rating and with 3kg off, Isn’t She Elegant would be hard to beat,” Currie said.
“Her run the other day for third behind General Cos and Occhilupo, who I rate highly, was good and she looks suited in a race like this.”
Currie nominated Apoloboom and former Victorian gelding Faolan amongst his other strongest representatives.
Apoloboom lines up in the Benchmark 75 Handicap while Faolan makes his Queensland debut in the Audi Centre Toowoomba Class 1 Handicap (1300m).
“Faolan has a similar profile to other horses we have brought up from Victoria in the past and have raced well here,” Currie said.
“He wasn’t beaten far in a Listed race late last year and from a good draw on Sunday he should be up to a race of this type.
“Apoloboom looks another of our other stronger hopes.
“He’s not far off a town-class horse and he’s another that races well here on his home track.”
Meanwhile, Currie will reset his target for this year’s Toowoomba Cup runner-up Honey Toast who is headed towards a possible Queen’s Cup (3200m) start at Caloundra on July 14.
“We had the Caloundra Cup in mind for him but we just had a rethink backing him up on what will probably be a heavy track on Saturday,” Currie said.
“We’ll look at another race for him at Doomben on Saturday week.”