We’re heading up the Range this Saturday to Clifford Park for Weetwood Day, where racing meets celebration in the heart of Toowoomba.
As the city blooms for the Carnival of Flowers, the track comes alive with its biggest meeting of the year featuring the time-honoured Listed Weetwood Handicap, Toowoomba Cup and Toowoomba Guineas.
With over $850,000 in prizemoney and a festive spring atmosphere, it’s a day that blends tradition, top-tier racing, and regional pride.
I’ve done the hard yards and analysed every race across the nine-race Toowoomba program.
I must have rocks in my head considering putting a horse straight out of a maiden win that has a rating of 59 on top in this Class 3 Plate but that’s exactly what I’m doing.
The Mark Currie-trained EXPRESS CODE (10) produced what could be described as a paid trial when never getting out of second gear in a 2.5 length win over 870m here on debut last start.
The knock is that the filly is poorly weighted against much more experienced horses, and she was at no stage asked for an effort over a shorter distance so how do we know how she’ll handle pressure over 1000m.
Valid points but I’m prepared to back the stable who get their horses up for this meeting every year and trust their placement and what my eye saw.
| 10. Express Code (7) 55kg1 |
OUR MAGNUS (1) has performed well on this day in the past, having finished fifth in the 2023 Weetwood as well as missing the win in this race last year by just a nose.
The Corey & Kylie Geran-trained gelding looks on track for another bold Weetwood Day showing following a top effort first-up over 1100m here where he was overpowered late by a horse that he was giving 6.5kg to finish 1.38 lengths second.
He’ll strip fitter second-up and the use of Jace McMurray’s 3kg claim is astute.
The King of the Mountain Consolation winner over this course and distance maps to get a beautiful run.
| 1. Our Magnus (2) 60.5kg157×2 |
PHENOM (1) resumes here and is also having her first start for Annabel & Rob Archibald after previously racing with the Waterhouse & Bott stable.
The Zoustar mare is a very interesting runner given she was last seen finishing near the tail in the Group 1 Australasian Oaks and is a multiple Group 3 placegetter in the Auraria Stakes and Alexandra Stakes which were run over longer trips than this.
She has fired fresh in the past, winning her maiden over this distance at Port Macquarie a year ago.
A recent trial will have warmed her up nicely and given the way she moved in it, a bold fresh performance looks possible.
| 1. Phenom (5) 60kg1330x |
FREE CARRY (2) returned in magnificent order three starts ago over 1400m at Eagle Farm with an impressive win.
Unfortunately, the Tony Gollan-trained gelding found the Good 3 track two starts back too firm, and he failed to let down after leading over this distance at Eagle Farm.
He looked to get conditions to suit last start at Doomben but a 5kg weight advantage to Simply Amazing worked against him and he was run down late to finish a long neck second.
While it was nearly two years ago, he won his only previous start over this course and distance.
Corey Sutherland, who claims 3kg, will roll forward and either lead or box seat.
| 2. Free Carry (3) 60.5kg3×152 |
KINROSS LANE (12) returned in magnificent order last start over 1100m here and looks well placed to add to her already impressive record that stands at four wins from six starts.
The Mark Currie-trained mare remained undefeated first-up when she stormed home down the outside to run down Our Magnus and win the Stathi Katsidis by 1.5 lengths.
Given the way she powered through the line, the rise to 1300m looks ideal with increased fitness second-up.
Top jockey Justin Huxtable takes the ride and will give his mount every chance.
| 12. Kinross Lane (5) 58kg131×1 |
ABOUT TO EXPLODE (4) looks awfully hard to beat here but at time of writing he is also waiting on a start in the Listed Weetwood as the second emergency.
The Tony Gollan-trained gelding is in super form and looking for this third win in a row.
He proved too strong over 1200m at Eagle Farm two starts ago before unleashing a devastating turn of foot to come from last and win by 1.5 lengths in incredible fashion over 1200m at Doomben.
The rise to 1300m looks ideal now that he’s at peak fitness and given that he is seemingly scaring off the opposition with the number of scratchings, the outside barrier may not be as great a problem as it looked when barriers were drawn.
| 4. About To Explode (9) 57.5kg7×411 |
WALSH BAY (11) ticked off 1800m for the first time last start and I don’t see why she can’t rise again and eat up 2000m in the Toowoomba Cup.
The Chris & Corey Munce-trained mare is racing in a purple patch of form with four wins from her past five starts.
Her victory last start over 1800m at the Gold Coast was emphatic with the daughter of Deep Field settling handy before putting her rivals to the sword to salute by 2.8 lengths.
She’s on the quick back-up, so knowing and trusting this stable, they wouldn’t be stepping her out over an untested trip unless she was absolutely thriving.
Damien Thornton is confronted with a similar situation to last start with the wide draw and will adopt similar tactics.
| 11. Walsh Bay (14) 53kg12111 |
GIVE GIGGLES (12) has been racing in sublime form with three wins from her past four starts and a crack at black-type in the Listed Weetwood seems like the next logical step.
The Tony Gollan-trained mare has been loving this distance at Eagle Farm and produced an impressive display there last start where she let down powerfully to win by 2.5 lengths.
Queensland’s top conditioner has been spacing her runs four weeks apart, a strategy that’s proven successful and is being applied again for this race.
Ben Thompson will look to settle in a prominent position and with just 53kg on her back, she will take some holding out.
| 12. Give Giggles (7) 53kg61311 |
FOREIGN PRESS (6) bounced back to winning form last start when proving a class above over 1110m at Doomben with a three-length victory.
That was the Tony Gollan-trained filly’s third win from her four starts this preparation.
She arguably should be undefeated this time in work given she suffered from slow recovery two starts ago at Eagle Farm when bravely fighting for a nose second to stablemate Impervious.
The Invader filly isn’t the largest in stature, so carrying just 55kg under set weights compared to the 59.5kg she shouldered when last facing Impervious works in her favour.
She’s rock hard fit and should enjoy a nice run stalking the speed.
| 6. Foreign Press (5) 55kgx1121 |