The highlands racing action heads to Twin Hills this week with two days of racing to compliment the two days of action packed rodeo and campdrafting action.
Twin Hills is a iconic country event and it is the 92nd anniversary of the clubs race meeting and with over $100,000 of prize money and rebates on offer it is a real credit to the Twin Hills club.
It is an enormous effort to partly self-fund over $26,500 in extra prize money and starters’ subsidies, leading trainer and jockey bonuses and great for all country Queensland racing participants.
There are 10 races to be staged over the Friday and Saturday including the rich $12,500 class 1,1100 metre QTIS race on Friday, and the $10,000, 1000 metre QTIS maiden handicap on Saturday’s program along with the benchmark 65 Twin Hills Cup over 1300 metres on Saturday worth $11,500 being the feature event for the weekend.
The club has added extra incentives to attract more jockeys and trainers to bring horses to the iconic race meeting and the extra incentives have paid dividends with a good spread of horses for the two days
The king of Oralea Park in Mackay John Manzelmann looks set to dominate the meeting with a classy team assembled with multiple runners in several races over the two day carnival.
The powerhouse John Manzelmann stable, which is fresh off a win at Mackay on Saturday with tell off and also several close unlucky placings at last weekend’s Mackay meeting, Manzelmann looks set to dominate the iconic meeting and will have hired gun Adrian come engaged on several of his runners over the two day carnival.
Emerald trainer Glenda Bell also has a two prong attack assembled for the second day of the carnival and is coming of a strong win with her new stable addition One More Bopa at Springsure last weekend and will line up with her speedy mare Howzat For Luck on Saturday and will also line up with Elle Snitz in the Twin Hills Cup .
The rich class 1 QTIS race looks a match race between the John Manzelmann trained Craiglea Maxx and Tim Cook’s new stable addition Star Picket who is raced by a large syndicate of local owners led by Twin Hills club stalwart Geoff Scharf and is coming off a maiden win at Middlemount. Star picket on pace racing pattern will suit the tight turning loamy Twin Hills track the two look set to fight it out in the event.
On Saturday the John Manzelmann trained Samuel James looks the one to beat in the benchmark 50 handicap over 1100 metre. Mozzinator is coming off a three week freshen up and races well fresh and is a winner over the Twin Hills short course. Mozzinator is raced by several racing identities in the Clermont area including long time Clermont race club stalwart David King and Tom Robinson and will be a very popular elect with punters.
The Twin Hills cup looks a tricky open affair.
Visiting racing journey man from Toowoomba Gary Teals runner looking to have strong claims after a strong 1st up effort at Springsure with Reddamour but will have to contend with the mammoth 61.5kg which has been allotted by the handicapper Reddamour is a last winner and a winner on the dirt first which counts strongly in its favour for the tough as teak gelding.
Rockhampton trainer Tim Cook lines up with his new stable addition Just One Wish who will relish the drop back in grade from recent unplaced efforts. Just One Wish doesn't get any favours off the handicapper either who has caught up with her and will have to carry 60.5 kg She is racing consistently of late and has claims the mare is a winner on the dirt and a win from the mare will see the punters cheer the roof off the grandstand for the Alpha owned mare who will be out in strong force on Saturday led by Kev Wiltshire.
Look for an improved performance from Glenda Bells Elle Snitz who is three runs in to her preparation and is also raced by several twin hills race club stalwarts including the Connelly family.
The club has kids’ activities, sand art, jumping castle, face painting, fairy floss and popcorn on offer and the action will really heat up on Saturday with the Fashions of the Field and there will be fancy dress for the kids. So do be sure to make your way to Twin Hills this weekend for an outback extravaganza.