Imagica seeking class on grass

Trainer Michael Nolanis more worried about Liesele and Tinto than the grass surface on Tuesday. Source: Mark Cranitch / News Limited

MICHAEL Nolan believes Miss Imagica will prove she's the Queen of Toowoomba, not just the cushion surface, when she shoots for a historic feat on Tuesday night.

Miss Imagica won nine races from just 11 runs on Toowoomba's Cushion circuit, including two Weetwoods and there was no better horse on the surface at the track.

Also included in those wins were the past three F&M Quality Handicaps and she's poised to add a fourth at the re-opening of the track tomorrow night.

The obvious question is whether the mare will be as effective now the track has reverted back to grass, with her lone win on turf being an Ipswich maiden on debut in March 2010.

"I'm confident it's more that she's a track specialist than a Cushion specialist," Nolan said.

"This is her home track and it's not an easy track. It's an uphill, tight, turning track that brings a lot of horses undone.

"I'm not worried about (the turf) factor. I'm more worried about bumping into a class horse like Liesele and having to give 5kg away to a promising filly like Tinto."

Nolan is represented by runners in seven of the nine races and said he had never experienced a build up to a meeting like this in his 25 years at Clifford Park.

"It's the most exciting thing that's happened in all my years here," he said.

"There's so much expectation about how the track will go and I think they're going to get a Weetwood-style crowd here."

Nolan said the club had been fortunate with weather patterns during the new track's construction.

"They had no hold ups because it didn't rain for so long and then when they put the grass down the rain came at exactly the right time," he said.

"It's consolidated well. The top jockeys will tell you it's going to get better with time, but it's pretty nice to walk on and looks fantastic."

Tomorrow's return to grass on the new Strathayr surface attracted 121 acceptors, with the Bernborough Handicap a highlight.

One runner missing from the Bernborough is Fillydelphia, after connections missed the acceptance deadline.

The mare will now be spelled.

Alma's Fury has accepted to defend his Bernborough crown, up two kilograms on the 57kg he carried last year.

After a successful hit and run mission early in the month, Sam Kavanagh returns to Queensland with Recognition Stakes winner Absalon.

Kelso Wood holds the Bernborough aces though, with Benny's Buttons and Someday.

Benny's Buttons goes to the mile for the first time since he was placed in the Queensland and Sunshine Coast Guineas in 2011.

Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang

Imagica seeking class on grass

Dengan url

http://sportifoclube.blogspot.com/2013/12/imagica-seeking-class-on-grass.html

Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya

Imagica seeking class on grass

namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link

Imagica seeking class on grass

sebagai sumbernya