BACK from injury five-year-old Wauchope gelding Cheljoe should consolidate a shot at a $60,000 Sydney race next Saturday with a win at Wauchope Jockey Club’s free entry TAB meeting at Kempsey on Monday.
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The galloper, to be ridden by top Port Macquarie jockey Peter Graham, looks well placed in the Wauchope Stock & Estate Agents Class 2 Handicap over 1250m.
Trainer Grant Prosser is aiming the gelding at the $60,000 TAB Highway Handicap over 1200m at Rosehill Gardens after the galloper was just beaten into fourth by Kempsey filly Beside You at Rosehill on August 13.
“He should have won in Sydney but for being held up at a vital stage,” Prosser said.
He said the gelding “is good as gold” for the Kempsey race and although the galloper can handle most track conditions, he feels “top of the ground” is best.
The forecast of rain has many trainers wary as some of their charges don’t run as well when the track is heavy.
Cheljoe will be having its fourth run back after being sidelined for nearly a year following the removal of a bone chip after a Grafton race in July last year.
His dam is Pauline’s Dancer and was bred by owner Debbie Prosser, secretary of the Wauchope Jockey Club.
There will be plenty of worthwhile opposition to Cheljoe, one being Kempsey five-year-old gelding Zizumba, a promising type which won for trainer-owner Tony Green and his wife Jean, at Grafton over 1000m on July 10.
It was to start at Coffs Harbour but it was cancelled due to rain and then he scratched it from Grafton due to the heavy track.
But the 81-year-old trainer has Coffs apprentice Eric Chung to take a 3kgs claim at Kempsey, he favouring this race over another where Zizumba was nominated.
Zizumba was bought for $21,000 from Anthony Cummings and it had a throat operation early in its career.
Since joining his stable an acupuncturist and a farrier have worked wonders in having the gelding loving racing.
Green believes Zizumba has the class to again be worthy of having a race in Sydney.
Port Macquarie six-year-old mare Flying Kistena was going to be retired after racing at Port last week but when the races were cancelled due to the state of the, track trainer Neil Godbolt used a late nomination for Coffs on Monday and the mare scored a strong win to get a reprieve from being retired.
Still, it is possible that her swansong race will be the Wauchope RSL Club Benchmark 65 Handicap over 1450m at Kempsey.
“She is due to go to stud so it would be nice to go out on a winning note.”
Her main danger could come from eight-year-old gelding Rigamarole, trained at Wauchope by Colt Prosser, it knocking on the door for a win to add to its two previous Woop Woop Cup wins.
“My horse’s runs have been okay but every time I accept,it rains,and wet tracks don’t suit him as much.
“He has won a couple at Kempsey and the distance is probably his best,”he said.
All eyes will be on Godbolt’s three-year-old filly Artova which resumes in the M&S Print Benchmark 60 Handicap over 1000m.
Last campaign she had six starts for four wins and a second and races well fresh.
But Godbolt isn’t entirely satisfied with the way she has returned,especially with her weight against older gallopers.
“She didn’t spell as I liked and if she doesn’t perform she will go back to the paddock,” he said.
Doug Ryan’s selections:
Race 1: Tawfiq Boy 1, Mash ‘N’ Veg 2, Fred 3.
Race 2: Dizzy Diva 1, Astral Miss 2, Night Thief 3.
Race 3: Flying Kistena 1, Rigamarole 2, Gold Torque 3.
Race 4: Lippy And Pearls 1, Glitterama 2, Mosaytion 3.
Race 5: The Cavalry 1, Practicality 2, Rainbow Rover 3.
Race 6: Cheljoe 1, Zizumba 2, Dubai Sights 3.
Race 7: Artova 1, Miss Tripod 2, Darbies Blugirl