Class field to contest Stanthorpe Cup
RACING: His assignment is a tough one, but Toowoomba five-year-old Splitz will be out to snare the Matt Kropp stable country cup wins on successive Saturdays when he steps out at Armstrong Park tomorrow.
Splitz is looking to emulate the feat of stablemate Rosie Posie in last week’s Warwick Cup when he tackles the K & A Building Stanthorpe Cup (1400m).
The race is also a Country Cups Challenge Qualifier.
Splitz is raced by several owners who are also a part of the syndicate which races Super Suave with Kropp.
Super Suave recently joined the Kropp yard and made a winning debut for the stable in last Saturday’s Newmarket Handicap at Allman Park.
Splitz is the winner of seven races but Kropp concedes the gelding has found himself top weight in a classy cup line-up.
“He’s racing well enough but it looks like he might have his work cut out on Saturday against a strong line-up,” Kropp said.
“We meet Ritchford again who beat us by more than five lengths for Jackie Crompton in the Tara Cup a couple of weeks ago.
“Mail Escort has also got city form so it’s a good race.
“But one of the big things at Stanthorpe is horses handling the track.”
Meanwhile Clifford Park punters will be banking on former southern gelding Column turning his recent promising efforts into winning form when he lines up in tomorrow night’s Sedl Earthmoving Class 5 Plate (1870m).
Column has put back-toback second placings together since joining Toowoomba trainer Troy Pascoe mid-year.
After resuming from a letup in the Lismore Rousillon (1516m) in September Column again finished runner-up to Benico’s Prince in a Clifford Park Benchmark 75 Handicap (1850m) last Sunday week.
Star Adele will also be out to atone for a last-start second when she steps out for Pascoe in the BYB Health & Fitness Benchmark 65 Handicap (1210m).
Star Adele added to her consistent record when she resumed last time out with a close second to Simply Splashing in a Class 3 Plate (1100m) on September 28.
Ron Goltz partners both Column and Star Adele.
SKYE Bogenhuber makes her much-anticipated return to Clifford Park riding after a seven-month injury break with four rides on the card.
Bogenhuber, who is restricted to four rides per meeting in the early stages of her comeback, partners resuming Je Suis Belle for trainer Mark Currie in the Achilles Memorial Three-Year-Old Maiden Plate (1000m).
Her comeback begins today aboad The Irons at Ipswich.
COUNTRY racing tomorrow also includes meetings at Mitchell and Wondai.