Hoping for a class edge
Toowoomba gelding looking to make it hard for Newmarket rivals
RACING: Trainer Jason Judge is hoping class will carry the day when Toowoomba gelding Hard Stride chases a Bunya Park feature success tomorrow.
Hard Stride bids for back-toback wins this campaign when he steps out in the David & Paul Winter Dalby Newmarket (1200m).
The $25,000 Newmarket heads Dalby & Northern Downs Jockey Club’s biggest annual race day also featuring the Michael & Val Kelly Lightning Handicap (800m).
Hard Stride is the winner of nine races and more than $670,000 in prize money.
He recently joined the Judge stable from trainer Tony Sears and has performed strongly in two outings for his new owners including his last-start Roma victory on February 23.
“He’s going well enough,” Judge said yesterday.
“He ran fair time at Roma and won hard held so he’s earned a chance at this race.
“He’s definitely the class horse of the field on his older form including some good Melbourne wins.
“You have to respect the light weights and Ben Currie’s horse (Publishing Power).
“But our horse looks well, and on his track work and last win, he’ll be competitive again and I think he’ll probably be hard to beat from one alley.”
Apprentice Hannah Phillips claims 2kg on Hard Stride tomorrow to bring the eightyear-old into race with 59kg.
In-form Toowoomba mare Kopella is sure to be popular with Dalby punters tomorrow when she chases a winning hat-trick for trainer Steve Tregea in the Henry (Doc) Smiles Memorial Benchmark 62 Handicap (2000m).
Skye’s condition on the improve
TOOWOOMBA jockey Skye Bogenhuber continues to make encouraging improvement from head injuries she sustained in a Clifford Park jumpout incident on Tuesday.
Bogenhuber has undergone extensive tests this week after being found to have suffered a small brain bleed in the spill.
But doctors on Wednesday cleared her of any brain damage and yesterday she continued to show positive recovery signs in Toowoomba Hospital.
Bogenhuber’s colleague Emma Ljung and Michael Nolan stable employee Nick Hahn have been by her bedside this week and Ljung said her friend’s condition was slowly turning around.
“Every report from the doctors and physio’s is positive,” Ljung said.
“Skye still has a long way to go but everything about her recovery at this stage is encouraging.”