The old firm of Toowoomba trainer Michael Nolan and retired dentist Dr Kim McCasker will be hoping to combine for some more city luck when talented filly Hinged aims to maintain her unbeaten record at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Hinged has been entered for the QTIS Two-Year-Old Handicap and will be ridden by Mark Du Plessis when she steps up in distance to 1300 metres for the first time.
The filly has won her only two starts – both over 1200 metres – at Toowoomba and the Gold Coast but is bred to get over further ground.
Hinged strolled to victory on debut by more than three lengths on her home track at Toowoomba on January 30 before a narrow last start win at the Gold Coast on February 13.
Nolan hopes Hinged can give him some guide to whether she’ll target the Brisbane winter carnival.
“She’s a good filly but this is a big step up in class for her,” Nolan said.
“Kim breeds most of the horses he races and he bred her from Tints who won several races.
“She’s bred to get over ground on both her sire and dam’s side.
“If she runs well, we’ll probably give her a short break and target some of the longer races in the winter.”
Hinged is a daughter of first season sire Worthy Cause who was a five-times winner for trainer John Zielke.
Worthy Cause was retired to stud at Clearview Mountain outside Toowoomba after finishing fifth in the Listed Ipswich Cup won by Magnus in 2016.
His best win was in the Group 3 Gunsynd Stakes over 1800 metres at the Gold Coast in 2015 enroute to his fifth placing in the Group 1 Queensland Derby.
He also campaigned interstate winning the Listed Headquarters over 1400 metres at Flemington the same year.
Nolan also will have a chance for more lucrative QTIS prizemoney when he saddles up Short Sara in the Three-Year-Old Handicap over 1400 metres.
Short Sara has started four times this campaign for two wins and as many placings and is coming of a last start win in a 1300-metre Class 1 at Toowoomba on February 20.
Nolan and McCasker will revive memories of their greatest win with former star sprinter Laurie’s Lottery in the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 in 1999.
They have been a formidable team, winning a host of races since with many top horses, but Laurie’s Lottery stays the pick of the lot.
Laurie’s Lottery also won the Group 2 Todman Slipper Stakes, Group 3 Roman Consul Stakes and Inglis Classic in Sydney along the way to earning almost $1.1 million in prizemoney from eight wins in 33 starts.
– Racing Queensland
