Rocky path for Downs’ horses
RACING: Toowoomba stables are lining up for their shot at an elusive winter carnival victory at Callaghan Park this week.
Downs’ trainers have blitzed the nomination list for Rockhampton Jockey Club’s twoday carnival with a total of 51 entries including several dual nominations.
Nine Toowoomba horses are amongst 26 entries for Friday’s $100,000 Newmarket Handicap (1300m).
Saturday’s $100,000 Rockhampton Cup (1600m) has attracted four Toowoomba nominations.
Trainers Ben Currie, Lindsay Hatch and Steve Tregea will supply the bulk of Toowoomba hopefuls.
Tregea’s team includes promising four-year-old Niccanova who was scratched from last Saturday’s rain-affected Glasshouse Handicap at the Sunshine Coast with the Newmarket now his target first up from a four-month spell.
Bergerac is set to line up for Tregea in Saturday’s cup.
Currie has three runners nominated for the Newmarket while he has top weight Cantbuybetter (60kg) and Toowoomba Cup runner-up Honey Toast (58.5) entered for the Cup.
Hatch’s possible Rockhampton muster includes Dylan’s Luck in the Newmarket and Rhyme Nor Rhythm in Saturday’s Open Handicap.
■ LEADING Clifford Park apprentice Baylee Nothdurft resumes riding at today’s Ipswich metropolitan meeting after recovering from a chest infection which saw him miss weekend rides at the Gold Coast and Toowoomba.
Nothdurft this week begins riding without a provincial claim after out-riding his allowance at Ipswich last Friday when he scored on Desert Cowboy for Hatch.
“I’ll be right to go at Ipswich tomorrow,” Nothdurft said yesterday.
“I’ve got five rides and five rides at Gatton on Thursday.
“I’ve got another seven at Clifford Park on Saturday so it’s going to be a busy week.”
■ TOOWOOMBA stayer High Degree is a likely starter in tomorrow week’s Grafton Cup (2350m).
Trainer Rochelle Smith plans to press on for a start in the $160,000 feature with the six-year-old after her bold fourth placing behind Megablast in last Saturday’s Listed Caloundra Cup (2400m) at Corbould Park.