AMELIA Tonkin will not only be representing the region in the Futurity Open Final tomorrow night at the Australian Equine and Livestock Events Centre but she will also be representing the ladies in general.
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The Barraba trainer is the only female to qualify for the final and is doing it in style, taking three of the 25 positions available.
Tonkin will also be one of the only non pros in the event.
The Tonkin family all train cutting horses and this year have blitzed the two-week Futurity and are now looking to top it off with the big one tomorrow night, along with the $200,000 in prizemoney.
The family has two horses in the finals today and then seven in the finals tomorrow.
“I thought it would be nice to get the three horses in the final but I never thought it would happen,” Tonkin said.
“Whatever happens now happens and I will be happy with whatever.”
The trainer has two family- bred horses –CTK Maluckyrey and CTK Wizard – in the final as well as World Series Cat, who the family bought at the Futurity sales in Tamworth two years ago.
World Series Cat so far has been the top performer and could be Tonkin’s best chance at glory in the final.
The gelding has also qualified for the Non Pro Futurity final and has already bagged a second place in the Gelding Incentive on Thursday.
Tonkin will have a big day tomorrow, with Who’s Top Tack in the Non Pro Classic and two other horses in the Non Pro Derby Final.
She will be competing against mum, Kerryann, in that event.
“It is great that we are doing so well this year,” Tonkin said.
“We train for the futurity all year and it is nice to be a local in the final.”
Dungowan trainer Hugh Miles is the other local after getting a wild card entry into the main event.
Tonkin has drawn second, fourth, and fifth rider in the final that will run at about 4.30pm tomorrow.
“I like going early,” Tonkin said.
“It is a good spot to be in.”