As the Queensland Winter Racing carnival continues in full swing with this weekend hosting James Squires Oaks Day. Racegoers will be treated to a 9 race card meeting with the feature race due to run at 3:53pm.
John will head up to Queensland to saddle up the one runner for the team, the New Zealand mare LE CASTILE (trained by Nigel Tiley) made the flight across the ditch recently and has settled into her surroundings well. The flashy grey mare has enjoyed a track gallop with Jim Byrne in the saddle and also a few mornings at the beach ahead of Saturday’s assignment.
Le Castile will go around in race 6 – Spear Chief Handicap over the 1500m with Michael Cahill taking the ride for the connections who will also be making the trip over to watch their mare.
Next week, the stable will load up Doomben Cup placegetter BRANDENBURG onto the float as he heads back up North to quest the inaugural running of The Q22 (a new Weight for Age race worth $1.2 million in prizemoney). The 4 year old gelding returned in good order from his 3rd placing in the Group 1 Doomben Cup and has come through the run well. Impressing in his most recent piece of work, John is confident that the son of Burgundy will put in another solid performance on the 12th June.
Talented filly FOUR MOVES AHEAD is also back in work up North and is getting ready for a big 3 year old career, that will see her aim toward some big targets.
