Tough act to follow
STILL full of pride after Tyzone’s gallant performance in Saturday’s Listed Eye Liner Stakes at Ipswich, Tolga trainer Roy Chillemi will welcome back another stable star at Cluden Park this afternoon.
Concluder, a winner at his last two starts late last year before being sent to the paddock, will be shooting for career win number 10 in the $ 14,000 Open Handicap ( 1000m) at Townsville today.
The orange colours of the Chillemi and Tom Hedley partnership have a handful of strong chances across today’s seven- race program, just days after the headline act of their team, Tyzone, came within a stride of winning for the first time in black- type company.
The Tony Gollan- trained I’m A Rippa fought back to beat Tyzone, who seemingly had him covered halfway up the straight, in the $ 175k race on Saturday afternoon at Ipswich.
Chillemi had Tyzone in his yard for much of his outstanding career, before transferring south to Toby Edmonds, but the master trainer was confident the four- year- old was home halfway up the straight.
“I thought he had the other horse ( I’m A Rippa) cold, but I think the winner was just harder than Tyzone,” Chillemi said.
“Tyzone was gallant in defeat, he met a fitter horse on the day.
“He may have one more run or go for a break.
“He has done us pretty proud so far.”
The powerful Gold Coast team of Edmonds is considering sending Tyzone to the $ 160,000 Ramornie Handicap ( 1200m) next month at Grafton. Chillemi does not have any firm plans with the nine- race winner Concluder, preferring to see how the bay gelding performs over the next two runs to map his path going forward.
“I am really happy with him. He has a little bit of pudding on first- up, but he will improve on whatever he does,” Chillemi said.
“I am sure he will run a very good race.
“We will let the horse take us wherever he wants to. I am not sure how far he will get, maybe he will get further than 1200m.”