CYCLONE ALERT FOR BIG RACE

NORTH Queensland trainer Lyle Wright has made the trip south to contest the 3YO Jewel a year after planning on attacking the 2YO event.

The Mackay-based trainer arrived on the Gold Coast on Wednesday with Cyclone Topgirl who will jump from barrier five in tomorrow’s $200,000 race at Aquis Park.

Wright said he originally planned to race in the 2YO Jewel in 2018 but the opportunities for success in the north proved too good to turn down.

Things have now changed Wright has struggled to place the horse who has been slugged with as much as 63kg in recent runs.

The 55kg weight given to Cyclone Topgirl for tomorrow’s race will be the lightest the filly has carried since July last year.

“We watched the race a couple of times and we planned on going last year,” Wright said.

“She won a couple of twoyear-old qualifiers last year but we never made the trip.

“She has been weighted out of three-year-old races and was lumped with 63kg the other week in Rockhampton.

“It was a waste of time putting her in three-year-old races up there whereas last year we had plenty to choose from where she could earn good money anyway.”

Wright said Love Struck was in good order but he wasn’t getting carried away.

“I’m happy with her. She is ready to try to race against tougher company,” Wright said. “We will see how we measure up with her.”