Bergerac on new track
Sydney test tomorrow for Clifford Park pair
RACING: Strapping five-yearold Bergerac will become the latest Toowoomba galloper to put his hoof in the Sydney water when he lines up for trainer Steve Tregea at Randwick tomorrow.
Bergerac was floated to the Randwick stables of trainer John Thompson midweek, with stablemate Prioritise, to tackle tomorrow’s Benchmark 82 Handicap (1400m) with Queensland 2kg claimer Michael Murphy to ride.
Bergerac made it three placings from his four latest starts last time out behind Natch in a Doomben Class 6 (1350m).
“The main reason for bringing him south is he needs the bigger tracks to be able to show his best,” Tregea said.
“I’ve been thinking of bringing down for a while and he’s been nominated a couple of times.
“But now seemed the right time to give him a try.
“Prioritise has come along as a travelling companion but we’re hoping he can run some sort of race as well.
“Bergerac is a big horse and he’s shown us at the Sunshine Coast, where he’s nearly always raced well, that he appreciates the bigger open spaces.
“He raced well at Doomben last start but I don’t think he’s entirely happy there.”
Meanwhile trainer Ben Currie looks well placed to make a flying start to the new Clifford Park racing season when it begins tomorrow.
Currie finished the Toowoomba 2017-18 racing year with a record 81 victories including four at the final season meeting.
Nozi Tomizawa claimed his first Clifford Park jockey’s premiership with 36 season wins.
Currie’s entry list tomorrow includes Shakira and Occhilupo.
Occhilupo chases successive home-track wins in the Joe Wagner Benchmark 75 Handicap (1850m) following his latest comfortable Class 3 victory over 1625 metres two weeks ago. TAB racing returns to Burgess Park today when Lockyer Race Club stages seven races starting at 12.58.
COUNTRY racing tomorrow includes meetings at Goondiwindi’s Gunsynd Park and Nanango where seven races are highlighted by the Nanango Cup (1600m).
RACING Queensland this week agreed to increase the standard riding fees paid to all jockeys in Queensland to $200 per ride.
THE MAIN REASON FOR BRINGING HIM SOUTH IS HE NEEDS THE BIG TRACKS. STEVE TREGEA