Jockeys set for tight title tussle
RACING: The Clifford Park racing season is set to end on a cliff-hanger note tomorrow night when a three-way battle for this year’s leading jockey honours is decided.
Defending premier Skye Bogenhuber (32 wins), Beau Appo (32) and Nozi Tomizawa (31) are all in the running to claim the title.
Bogenhuber has won the last five Clifford Park premierships but won’t add to her tally after opting for a career switch to Western Australia in late May.
While she can still mathematically win the title, an Appo or Tomizawa victory looms as the most likely outcome with both riders having a full book of rides on this week’s seven-race card.
A Clifford Park premiership victory would be the first for either Appo or Tomizawa with Bogenhuber dominating Toowoomba racing before her season early exit with a sixth win within her sights.
Appo and Tomizawa each have attractive rides tomorrow with pre-post price assessors having Tomizawa riding two pre-post favouries and Appo aboard one.
Tomizawa starts the meeting one win behind Appo but will be looking for tearaway trainer’s premiership leader Ben Currie to help him wrest the lead from his rival.
Tomizawa partners Captain Leo ($2.80) for
Currie in the Naumann Electrical Class 3 Plate (1050m) while the pair teams with resuming Mustarrid in the Mob-Arch Maiden Handicap (1200m).
Currie sits on 701⁄2 Clifford Park season wins as he looks to add to his record-breaking premiership tally.
Appo has two rides for Eagle Farm trainer Tony Gollan including early $2.90 favourite River Fire in the CR Concreting Class 1 Handicap (1300m).
There is no racing at Clifford Park next weekend when Saturday TAB racing is held at Roma’s Bassett Park.
DOWNS country racing tomorrow switches to St George where St George Jockey Club hosts is annual
cup-day meeting.
Highlighting the five-race card is the $14,000 Qld Cotton St George Cup Race To Roma Qualifier over 1600 metres.
First race jumps at 1.05pm.