DREAM RUN REQUIRED
CAIRNS trainer Fred Wieland will be hoping history can repeat itself when seven-yearold gelding Dream I Can tackles the Gordonvale track this afternoon.
The experienced gelding has notched two wins and a second from his three starts at the country track, including his most recent win in the Open Handicap (1100m) on March 20.
He will start in Saturday’s Battle of the Bush qualifier, an Open Plate over 1100m.
The Gordonvale qualifier will be one of two held in the Far North this year, with Innisfail to also host a qualifier later this month.
There will be 16 qualifiers in total across the state, with the $125,000 final to be held at the Tattersall’s Tiara meeting at Eagle Farm on June 20.
Wieland said Dream I Can had come on well since returning from a spell two months ago.
“He’s the kind of horse that handles any track really, he’s just an honest country horse that races good all the time,” he said. “We knew he was eligible for this race and thought about it about a month ago, that that was where he was heading, to the Mount Garnet Bracelet and then the Battle of the Bush.
“He ran a good race in Mount Garnet last week, finished third just behind a couple of pretty smart horses that you don’t sort of expect to see in Mount Garnet in Space Time (Janel Ryan) and Bold Type (Stephen Massingham).”
Wieland said if Dream I Can saluted, a trip to Brisbane could be on the cards.
“I’d have to work that out with (part owner) Tom (Hedley) but we’ll play it by ear and just see how he goes first,” he said. “We’ll get Gordonvale and Mareeba (May 29) out of the way and then we’ll see where we go after that.”
The third leg of the Magic Millions Rob Koch Memorial Far North Queensland Up and Coming Stayers Series will also be run at Gordonvale with a Benchmark 65 Handicap (1800m).
The race will double as this year’s Roy Marsh Memorial feature race.