The Ringmaster Leads 2012 Weetwood Handicap Odds

Tony Sears’ on fire four-year-old The Ringmaster is the short-priced favourite to win the Toowoomba Turf Club’s flagship race on Thursday at Clifford Park, the Weetwood Handicap 2012 on Toowoomba Cup Day.

The lightly-raced Clang gelding has won five of their 11 career starts to date, tomorrow’s $150,000 Listed Kristy Banks Weetwood Handicap (1200m) to be their first stakes and open class assignment.

Drawn in barrier seven with Paul Hammersley aboard on 54.5kg, The Ringmaster comes off back-to-back wins at Doomben.

Their most recent effort was a three length romp over Norocos over 1010-metres, Hammersley aboard for both victories.

In the latest Weetwood Handicap odds at bookmaker.com.au The Ringmaster is the clear $2.60 favourite and he will take some beating according to Sears.

“I think he’s an extremely promising horse who is well weighted,” Sears said.

“He goes extremely well here on the cushion track and he has a good rider and barrier now. I couldn’t be happier.

“If he doesn’t win, it’s because he won’t be good enough.”

There are just three other runners in the big 14-starter, 5-emergency field that are under double figures in the Weetwood Handicap betting markets.

The next shortest-priced is The Ringmaster’s stablemate Haizum at $7 through bookmaker.com.au.

Second heaviest weighted of the bunch with 57.5kg, Haizum is drawn nicely in barrier three and will be ridden by Glen Colless.

Sears shoots for his first win in the Weetwood Handicap this year, his closest result in the feature behing with Inzaman who finished a close second to Seawinne in 1995.

“Every Toowoomba trainer would love to win the Weetwood,” Sears said.

“It’s our biggest race of the year.

“It would be particularly nice to win this year with it named after Kristy (Banks).

“She rode a couple of winners for me before she was hurt.”

The dedicated trainer is confident the experience on the cushion track of his hopefuls will give them the advantage this year.

“Both of them have got decent draws and should race very well but I’d have to say The Ringmaster is my pick,” Sears said.

“They both worked really well on Monday and they’ve got the advantage of track experience but The Ringmaster is an up and coming horse.

“When The Ringmaster won his two races on the Cushion Track it was in much lower grade than this but I really feel he’s up to open company sprinters now.”

Following Sears’ duo in order of the odds are then Michael Nolan’s Hidden Dragon mare Miss Imagica ($7.50) who won at the track and distance in December before their failed run at the Gold Coast on Magic Millions Day, and Jeffrey Caught’s Doomben visitor Falino ($9.50).

Other longer priced chances that could be worth a look in for an upset or for your Weetwood exotics through bookmaker.com.au include last-start Eagle Farm winner River Lad ($11), the Rob Heathcote-trained Mondean ($15) and Norm Hilton’s Sequalo five-year-old Reilly Blue ($16).

See below for the full Weetwood Handicap fixed win odds courtesy of bookmaker.com.au.

Fancy a Thursday punt but only have a few minutes to spare? We highly recommend you check out bookmaker.com.au and their exclusive Quickbet function, it’s the fastest way to bet on the net for busy punters!

2012 Weetwood Handicap Odds

Toowoomba Race 6 – 3:25pm – 29/03/2012

#	Horse	Odds*
1	GUNDY SON	17.00 bookmaker.com.au
2	HAIZUM	7.00 bookmaker.com.au
3	FALINO	9.50 bookmaker.com.au
4	CRAIGLEA FALCON	19.00 bookmaker.com.au
5	MONDEAN	15.00 bookmaker.com.au
6	THE RINGMASTER	2.60 bookmaker.com.au
7	WHAT HAPPENEDHENRY	16.00 bookmaker.com.au
8	REILLY BLUE	16.00 bookmaker.com.au
9	CARIAD	16.00 bookmaker.com.au
10	MISS IMAGICA	7.50 bookmaker.com.au
11	RIVER LAD	11.00 bookmaker.com.au
12	KING OF THE KONGO	41.00 bookmaker.com.au
13	WARRIOR GIRL	26.00 bookmaker.com.au
14	KNEEL AND RAISE	101.00 bookmaker.com.au
15	STOP LYING	41.00 bookmaker.com.au
16	CONVICTOR	41.00 bookmaker.com.au
17	G’DAY OLD MATE	51.00 bookmaker.com.au
18	THEFT	16.00 bookmaker.com.au
19	PONZI SCHEME	71.00 bookmaker.com.au