RACING AWAY: Jockey Brooke Stower rides Tartufo to victory at Clifford Park on Saturday night. Kevin Farmer
TOOWOOMBA trainer Doug Johnson hopes Carn's win at Clifford Park in Saturday night's Family Fun Day at Toowoomba Cup Benchmark 90 Handicap is enough to earn a spot in the Toowoomba Cup.
Carn returned from a two month hiatus to record a narrow ¼ length victory over the Legsman over 2000 metres, with race favourite Rothera six-and-a-half lengths back in last from the five-horse field.
Johnson brought seven-year-old Carn back with the hope of securing a start in the $100,000 Toowoomba Cup (2150m) on June 1.
"It was what I expected," Johnson said of Saturday night's victory. "He had eight weeks in between runs. That was the plan going towards the cup. I didn't know if he needed a win to get in."
Johnson only has Carn and a two-year-old in work but would love nothing more than to take out a Toowoomba Cup.
"It's one of those things you'd like to win living in Toowoomba," he said.
Punters were kept on their toes at Clifford Park on Saturday as three emergencies took out races on the seven-race card.
Makossa kicked that run off with a win in the Brisbane Bloodstock Sale Tomorrow Class 1 Handicap (1300m) when she edged out Fiery Girl.
It continued the next race when King Ludwig Skye Bogenhuber rode race favourite King Ludwig home in the Toowoomba Cup Lunch Packages on Sale Benchmark 80 Handicap (1300m).
Starlight Belle then came into the field for the Brown and Hurley Maiden Plate over 1100 metres and won for trainer Ben Currie.
Meanwhile, Racing Queensland has announced the June 15 meeting set down for Clifford Park has been transferred to Dalby's Bunya Park.
RQ chief executive Darren Condon said the move was made to give the fledgling Clifford Park grass track a break after a heavy schedule following the reinstatement of turf.
"We have had some reports from jockeys of high levels of wear and tear at Toowoomba on some sections of the track and the advice we received was that it could do with a break," Condon said.
"Whenever concerns are raised by jockeys or trainers, Racing Queensland, as the governing body, must look at solutions. In this situation the decision was made to transfer the meeting to Dalby."
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