Last year’s winner Typhoon Red has been cleared to chase back to back victories in the Listed $150,000 Audi Centre Toowoomba Weetwood Handicap (1200m) at Toowoomba on Saturday.
Typhoon Red has been cleared to run in the Weetwood Handicap at Toowoomba. Photo by Daniel Costello.
The Kevin Kemp trained Typhoon Red beat stablemate Kempelly in Toowoomba’s feature sprint race last year and both are in the final field again this year.
Typhoon Red has had two runs back from a spell leading up to the Weetwood Hanidcap for a ninth to Rocket To Glory in a 1200m Quality Handicap at the Gold Coast on March 14 then finished two and half lengths seventh to Gundy Spirit over 1350m at Doomben on April 11.
“This time last year Typhoon Red had a few more runs going into the Weetwood and has only had two runs going in this time. But his most recent run was as good as he has ever gone second-up,” Kemp told The Courier-Mail.
But the six year old developed some swelling in his off fore fetlock over the weekend and the top local trainer ordered a vet’s examination immediately and notified Racing Queensland stewards.
Tyhoon Red was then required to gallop in front of Racing Queensland stewards at Toowoomba on Tuesday morning and a subsequent vet’s inspection cleared him to take his place in the field.
Racing Queensland released the following statement on their website: “A further Veterinary Inspection was undertaken of the gelding after it galloped in the presence of Racing Queensland Stewards, on Tuesday 28 April 2015. This inspection revealed slight filling in the off fore fetlock however no pain or lameness was detected at the time of inspection. Based on the Veterinary report provided to Stewards, TYPHOON RED has been deemed suitable to race at this time.”
The Weetwood Handicap has a full field of fourteen plus four emergencies when the final field was declared today.
The Robert Heathcote trained Excellantes will carry the topweight of 59kg with Glen Colless to ride while Sunshine Coast trainer Jason McLachlan will saddle up eight year olds Facile Tiger and Phelan Ready.
Also in the final field is the Allan Denham trained Mount Nebo with the in-form Jim Byrne to ride.
Mount Nebo is racing in top form with wins at his last two starts but will be stepping up in class after victories in a 1000m BenchMark 85 at the Sunshine Coast on April 5 and in a 1200m BenchMark 95 at Doomben on April 18.
Brisbane’s premiership leading trainer Tony Gollan will have two runners with The Storeman and Whiskey Allround while top local trainer Tony Sears could have a possible three starters with The Conspirator, a winner on the track last start, Choice Bro, who ran second to Mount Nebo at Doomben and second emergency Pillar Of Creation.
