QUIRINDI trainer Geoff O'Brien will be hoping for "a bit of luck" when he takes Vega De Lago to Kensington on Wednesday.
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The six-year-old bay gelding has been a consistent performer for O'Brien in recent months, netting an impressive $120,000 of career prize money.
However, it will have a stacked race seven field to contend with, a task which O'Brien believes could be difficult.
"A big field can be a challenge for horses like him [Vega De Lago] who like to hang back a little bit," O'Brien said.
"Kensington being a bit of a small track too doesn't really suit him so he will need a bit of luck."
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Coming off a fifth place finish in his last outing at a metropolitan track, Vega De Lago will be looking to take the next step this time around.
"I'd be pretty to happy to run a place to be honest," O'Brien said.
"He's a fairly competitive little horse so I hope that near the last peg he is wound up and charging towards the post."
Wednesday's 1400m benchmark 76 handicap will also be the first time Rachel King will take the reins aboard the six-year-old.
"It will be interesting to see how Rachel goes," O'Brien said.
"Sometimes it can be a bit difficult for a first timer in a race like this.
"Although if she gets a little bit of luck who knows what might happen."
O'Brien told the Leader he was hopeful the gelding would feature in an upcoming regional cup race following Wednesday's trip to Kensington.
"At the moment he has worked his way out of contention for races around here with his benchmark," he said.
"This race will hopefully be a good run for something down the track. I'm not too sure what that will be at this stage, maybe a local cup race or something like that hopefully."
Weight has been a challenge for the bay gelding in recent runs, but O'Brien expects Wednesday's run to bring the horse confidence.
"We could find him a run up here but given he is a bit on the smaller side weight is an issue," he said.
"So we will take him down to the city and hopefully that will provide him with some confidence. He's a prominent horse so I'm confident he'll have a good run."
- Race seven at Kensington jumps at 4.55pm.
Billy Jupp
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
