Sold For Song re-tuning
Gold Coast option for race return
RACING: Trainer Kevin Kemp is hoping Toowoomba mare Sold For Song will give him good reason to be soon repacking his travelling bags when she resumes racing at the Gold Coast tomorrow.
Sold For Song resumes from an 11-month spell in the Open Handicap over 1200 metres.
It will be her first start since picking up a slight ligament tear when finishing unplaced in the Group Two Linlithgow at Flemington last November.
The six-year-old was also an acceptor for tomorrow’s Show County Quality at Randwick but Kemp opted for a Gold Coast run after Wednesday morning’s barrier draws.
“I needed to leave immediately if we decided on a Sydney run and I had my port packed ready to go,” Kemp said.
“If she drew poorly at the coast, that was our option but she’s pretty effective first-up and we elected to keep her at home for her return.
“We decided when we spelled her last year with a tiny tear to her ligament we would give her a good, long break and she’s really furnished up nicely.
“She’s won a couple of 900metre jump outs getting ready for her return and we’re really pleased with how she’s doing.
“If she can race as well on Saturday as I think she can, we’ll then have a look at heading to either Sydney or Melbourne — where she ran second in the Gilgai — with her.
“Whatever happens on Saturday she won’t race for another three weeks when she might have a run at Doomben.”
Kemp also saddles four runners on today’s Clifford Park twilight card including Waltham and Mister Spinks.
Waltham steps out in the K&R Plumbing Supplies Benchmark 75 Handicap (1300m) while Mister Spinks tackles the Toowoomba Truck Spares Class 1 Handicap (1000m).
“Mister Spinks is very consistent and should be around the money again and Waltham is a roughie I give some chance to,” Kemp said.
Admission to today’s Twilight Series meeting is free.
Talwood Cup day
TALWOOD Race Club celebrates is annual meeting tomorrow with a five-race card, highlighted by the $10,000 Titan AG Talwood Cup, starting at 1.30pm
Cunnamulla and District Diggers’ Race Club also hosts five races from 1.30pm.
Turner funeral
A FUNERAL service for former leading Queensland trainer and thoroughbred Ken “Tubby” Turner will be held at Pinnaroo Lawn Cemetery, Bridgeman Downs at 1pm on Monday.
Turner’s best-known race horses included Lion Hunter, Just Awesome and Chinchilla Rose.
After retiring from training, Turner operated historic Alma Vale Stud at Greenmount.
Turner died last week, aged 81 years.