Jockey Stanley looks for icing on cake from feature events

JUSTIN Stanley is poised to cap his best season and erase the disappointment of a few near misses in Townsville’s Cleveland Bay Handicap when he rides Peacock in today’s feature sprint.

Stanley has key rides in both of the $ 100,000 features at Townsville, as he also teams with defending champ Chivadahlii in the Cup.

Chivadahlii was ridden by Bobby El- Issa to win last year’s Cup, but Stanley did win the race back in 2003 with Forest Pride.

The Cleveland Bay, however, has been a source of frustration, coming closest when second on Trusted Partner in 2010

“It would be nice to win it after all these years,” he said.

“Peacock is the class runner in the race, but I admit, I would have loved him to have a kilo or two less.” Peacock won the Rockhampton Newmarket at 54.5kg, but rises to 60kg today.

“They didn’t miss him,” Stanley said. “I note he just missed one day at Warwick Farm with 60kg in a Benchmark 90, so you would think that’s good enough for a race like this. Hopefully, he’s good enough to do it.”

Recent wins in the Mackay and Rockhamp- ton Newmarkets, plus the inaugural Battle of the Bush Final and a century of winners has made this a year to remember for Stanley.

Peacock and Chivadahlii could just add a little further icing to the cake.

“I thought Chivadahlii’s run in the Mackay Cup ( when sixth) was nice enough, but he just raced a little dour, so the step up to 2000m is definitely going to suit,” he said.