Towers Trainer Targets Dollar with Untapped Witness

Charters Towers trainer Rob Kirkwood is keen to see unheralded three-year-old Reliable Witness finally unleash his potential as carnival racing heats up at Cluden Park on Sunday.

Kirkwood’s patience with the big Wanted gelding will be put to the test when he tackles his first major target, the $33,000 Magic Millions 3YO Townsville Dollars (1400m).

Reliable Witness, a winner of two of his seven starts, will go into the race off a barnstorming victory at a Home Hill TAB fixture in December and a desperately unlucky first-up fifth at Cluden a fortnight ago.

“I really hope he lives up to our expectation. Apart from that run at Home Hill in weaker class, we really haven’t seen him unleash properly. The Townsville track will really suit him nicely,” Kirkwood said.

“First up, when he was caught up on the fence, I was pretty disappointed we didn’t get to see him unleash. He never got a chance to let down at all.

“It was just how the race unfolded but the run didn’t hurt him at all, it was a pretty soft run for him.

“I’m probably a run behind with our track closing. But we gave him a really good spell to target the middle of the year, and races like the Dollars and the Guineas over the mile, and I expect him to run very well.

“I think the mile of the Guineas will suit him even better. He’s always given us the opinion that you can put him to sleep for as long as young want and produce his turn of foot at the end.

“I do believe he’ll run the mile. I think he could be a very good horse and that’s why I’ve been very gentle with him - to give him every opportunity for us.

“I hope he’ll be a cup horse as a four and five year old.”

Leading Townsville trainer Georgie Holt will be represented by a full strength team on Sunday, headed by in-form filly Sweet Kisses in the Dollars.

Holt is cruising to her second successive Townsville trainers’ premiership and is confident she can add to her tally of 29 Cluden winners this season.

Sweet Kisses has been a stunning success story for Holt and her jockey husband Aidan who purchased the filly on an on-line auction earlier this year for a group of local owners.

The former Brisbane trained youngster has won four of her six starts for the Holts since March, and has earned $150,000 in prizemoney with QTIS bonuses.

Holt said the filly had a fortnight in the paddock as a freshen-up since her last win in the $105,000 Northern Jewel 3YO in Cairns on June 1.

The young trainer has booked heavyweight jockey and family friend Ashley Butler to handle the filly who has been allotted top weight of 60kg after winning her past two starts by over four lengths.

“She’s been such a good filly for us. We didn’t even think we’d land her with our budget of $20,000 in the auction but she went for a little less than that,” Holt said.

“We thought if you win one QTIS race you’re in front. She won her first race in Cairns and as soon as she crossed the line I thought this horse wants further.

“Sometimes you can be way off but I thought she might make a Guineas horse and she’s just gone on to impress since.

“After she won the big race in Cairns we’ve given her a breather and she’s well in herself.

“She’s been taking a lot of confidence out of every run and she’s been getting better and better.

“She goes up in weight, but with Ash on, and no dead weight to carry, and from the good draw I’m confident she’ll go close to winning - but there’s a few strong contenders in it.”

The stable will also saddle up Decrypting Gold in the Dollars and is expecting smart galloper Mooloolaba to benefit from a freshen up when he tackles the Ladbrokes Magnetic Mile Open Hcp (1609m) which offers the winner an automatic start in the Townsville Cup on August 3.

Mooloolaba won his first four starts for Holt before finishing a close second to Olympic Korchnoi.

He will be ridden by leading jockey and regular partner Lacey Morrison.

“He had a couple of weeks out as well. He needed it after doing well in those earlier races and he’d had quite a prep having starts down south before he came to us.

“He’s had a nice little break and is back into it and back to his normal self of trying to bolt on Aidan.

“Lacey’s been here for a few days and has ridden him and I think he’ll run very well.”

“We’d like to give him a go at the Cup, even though he’s untested at 2000m, but we needed to give him that break when we did or we’d have a very tired horse by carnival time.”

Holt will also start Convertor in the Mitavite Mdn Hcp (1200m), and Hurtle in the Great Northern Brewing Co. Open Hcp (1000m).

Pictured: In-form filly Sweet Kisses tops the weights for the Magic Millions Townsville Dollars for there-year-olds at Cluden Park on Sunday.

See the racing calendar for upcoming race days.