Locals’ mixed fortunes with Weetwood barriers
RACING: There were mixed fortunes for Toowoomba trainers as barriers were revealed for the 2022 edition of the Weetwood Handicap.
Wham (Lindsay Hatch), Legal Esprit (Donald Baker) and V J Day drew side-byside in gates five, six and seven respectively, with first emergency Winside (Corey and Kylie Geran) nearby in two. Tears Of Love (Matt Kropp) and Don’t Stop (Paul Nolan Jr) didn’t receive the same amount of luck, posted out in 18 and 15.
Toowoomba Turf Club chairman Kent Woodford said some live chances are poised to make their presence felt in the $150,000 feature.
“They’ve all drawn well, good and it’s a massive advantage to be trained on the track,” Woodford said.
“They’re all in pretty good form too. Don’t Stop won this day last year and Winside dead-heated with Go Wandi which is a good form line. It would be lovely to see them make the final field.”
Up to nine local runners could feature in the $125,000 TAB Toowoomba Cup (2000m), and Woodford hopes a home-track advantage can work in the favour of the horses at home.
“The likes of Red Wave and a couple of others should do well,” he said. “I’ve always said that if you run the same races at Doomben, you’d get different results. Local trainers have their horses ready for the day.
“Everyone loves to win on our biggest day and they really target these races. They have them ready to roll on the day and get among it in the features.”
The two other main races on the day are the Pat O’Shea Plate for the two-year-old horses and the Garden City Guineas for the three year olds.
A capacity field of 11 is set to go around in the former, with trainer Les Ross saddling up to five runners.
Tony and Maddysen Sears will have Top Fun and Adelad engaged after both trialled well at the track, with other trial winners Bedaub (Michael Nolan) and Russian Alliance (Kevin Kemp) also in the event.