Luckless Buxton in quest for first win

TOLGA trainer Lisa Donovan thinks she can strike fire with Buxton if she can figure out her new stable acquisition.

The luckless Buxton, previously trained by Mark Webb on the Sunshine Coast, has 27 career starts to his name but is yet to break his maiden status.

Webb’s time with Buxton in his yard has come to an end, with the four-year-old recently transferring to the Tablelands and will have his first start in the north this afternoon in the $19,000 Maiden Handicap (1400m) at Townsville.

On his form, Buxton should have the field at Cluden Park today covered but his new trainer would only need to look through his race history and realise that has probably been declared before.

“He should have won many times before,” Donovan said with a laugh.

“I think he lets himself down a little bit, I think there are a few issues going on in his head.

“We have only had him a few weeks but if we can work him out, I think we will be on fire.

“We just need to find the trick to him.

“We will go from what we see on Thursday; he is happy and that is the main thing.”

As far as jockey bookings go to find Buxton his first winner, Donovan has gone to the right place.

She has booked Justin Stanley (pictured) as the pilot today.

Stanley leads the Queensland Provincial Jockey Premiership with 48 winners, 18 ahead of his nearest rival – Nozi Tomizawa.

“Justin has gone through all the replays and he knows about as much as us about the horse,” Donovan said.

“I think we have the best jockey for the job.”

Fellow Tablelands trainer Sharlee D’Avila has had luck with first-starters in the north from the Sunshine Coast over the last few weeks.

Unchartered was beaten by a nose at Innisfail last Saturday, while Countless Rock was dominant at Cairns last month in her northern debut.

The small Donovan stable has just the two horses in work, with Flamin’ Sid running sixth at Innisfail last Saturday afternoon.