Trainer gets King Ludwig ready for longer distance
glenm@thechronicle.com.au IN-FORM gelding King Ludwig will be out to continue his recent rise through the ranks when he steps up for a shot at Sunday’s Toowoomba Cup (2150m).
King Ludwig will be among the final acceptors for the $100,000 Clifford Park feature when the field is declared this morning.
The Toowoomba five-year-old clinched a Cup start with a second successive Clifford Park win last Saturday.
King Ludwig’s all-the-way win over Extreme Mover in the Benchmark 75 Handicap over 1625 metres convinced trainer Paul Facoory to press on with his Cup plan.
“He hasn’t won beyond 1600 metres and this is definitely a giant step up for him,” Facoory said yesterday.
“But it’s always been in the back of my mind to try him over further ground, and although we weren’t able to do it last preparation, we’ve been slowly building him up this time in.
“After he won over 1300 metres here two starts back I said to the owners, ‘I think I can have him ready for a go at the Cup’.
“He’s a lovely horse – a real gem – and we’ll see how he handles the next step now. Tim Bell, who rode him at the Coast before his two 2150 metres, $100,000 Clifford Park, Sunday Military Move 59.5, Rothera 57.5, Flying Home 55.5, Secret Garden 54.0, Kurtley 54.0, Carn 54.0, King Ludwig 54.0, Mr Light Blue 54.0, Extreme Mover 54.0, Ongoing Venture 54.0, Sam’s Town 54.0, Isavenger 54.0, Cross The Star 54.0, Heartfelt Quest 54.0, Trajet 54.0, Legsman 54.0. Toowoomba wins, said he deserved a better fate that day, and he’ll ride him in the Cup on Sunday.”
New Zealand seven-year-old Military Move has been handed top weight of 59.5kg for this year’s Toowoomba Cup.
Military Move has won more than $1.5 million in prizemoney, with his latest win coming in the Manawatu Cup (2300m) at Awapuni for trainer Shaune Ritchie last December.
He has had two Queensland runs since resuming from a two-month break, including his solid-finishing sixth behind Zephyron in last Saturday’s Group Three Premiers Cup (2200m) at Doomben.
First race on Sunday’s eight-race card jumps at 12.03pm, with the last race set down for 4.16pm. Clifford Park does not race this Saturday. STEWARDS have cleared apprentice Brooke Stower over her ride on beaten favourite Rothera at Clifford Park on May 17.
Stower, her master Tony Sears and trainer Ben Currie yesterday gave evidence regarding Rothera’s performance at a resumed inquiry into the running and handling of the gelding.
Rothera raced a considerable distance behind the main body of the field in the Benchmark 90 Handicap (2000m) and proved “disappointing” over the final 600 metres.
Stower said she was instructed to ride Rothera in a rearward position and she felt the eight-year-old was awkward.
Sectional times and betting trends, which revealed no irregularities, were presented to the inquiry. A post-race vet’s report on Rothera also revealed he was sore in both knees.
Stewards took into account Stower’s relative inexperience and vet’s report when deciding to take no further action.
Currie advised stewards Rothera had responded well to treatment on his knees and it was the stable’s intention to run him in Sunday’s Toowoomba Cup.
IN OTHER stewards’ news, apprentice Ruby Ride (Jumbo Prince) was suspended for three weeks on a careless riding charge after Brooke Stower was dislodged from Vino Volo in last Saturday’s Class 1 at Clifford Park. Ride’s suspension is due to start on Sunday night.