Former Melbourne galloper Flying Light heads the weights for the 2017 $100,000 Mater Townsville Cup (2000m) at Cluden Park in Townsville on Saturday.

Flying Light, above, heads the weights for the 2017 Townsville Cup at Townsville. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Flying Light, above, heads the weights for the 2017 Townsville Cup at Townsville. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Flying Light has been given 60kg for the Townsville Cup, 4kg above his nearest rivals Fab’s Cowboy, Hot Saga and Rocknet who have been allocated 56kg.

Flying Light was trained by the Lindsay Park Team of David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig for prominent owner breeder David Moodie and found the winner’s circle on four occasions, twice at Flemington and once each at Moonee Valley and Benalla.

Well known Townsville racing identity Tom Sheahan acquired Flying Light with the specific intention of winning the Townsville Cup which has been a lifelong ambition for him.

Sheahan teamed up again with long-time trainer, Brisbane premiership winner Barry Baldwin, who has given Flying Light four runs in South East Queensland with his best effort being a first up third in a 1200m Class 6 at the Gold Coast on June 7 while his latest run produced an eighth in a 1600m Class 6 at the Sunshine Coast on July 15.

Sheahan has had plenty of horses go through the Baldwin stable with lots of success, including several Group wins with top sprinter Burdekin Blues, but to win the Townsville Cup on his home soil would top that.

“Even when Burdekin Blues was winning Group races in Sydney and Melbourne he always said to me while that was very good, but the race he really wanted was the Townsville Cup,” Baldwin told AAP.

“Like us all, Tom isn’t getting any younger and would love to win it this year.”

The Bevan Johnson trained Fab’s Cowboy  is a winner of his last two starts at Charleville and Bundaberg while Hot Saga from Fred Wieland’s Cairns stable was a winner two starts back over 1609m on June 29 followed by a seventh over 2000m both at Townsville.

Rocknet, who also began his career in Victoria, has had four runs this campaign, all in Townsville, for two thirds, a fourth and a last start sixth in a 1609m Handicap last Saturday.

Weights for the 2017 Townsville Cup (2000m)

# Last 10 Horse Sex Age Trainer Ballot Weight Hcp Rating
1 21106×3508 FLYING LIGHT G 4 Barry Baldwin 1 60kg 89
2 4821611211 FAB’S COWBOY G 5 Bevan Johnson 2= 56kg 82
3 709×376417 HOT SAGA G 6 Fred Wieland 2= 56kg 82
4 x0701x3346 ROCKNET G 7 Tony Comerford 2= 56kg 82
5 456×302213 FASTNET FLYER G 6 Glenda Bell 5 55.5kg 81.5
6 6×73272421 CHIVADAHLII G 5 Jamie McConachy 6= 54.5kg 80
7 23242×7414 MISHANI GLADIATOR G 6 John Manzelmann 6= 54.5kg 80
8 4131×63871 LEGAL PROCEDURE G 4 Lyle Rowe 8 54kg 79.5
9 7×62411188 FRENCH HUSSLER G 6 John Wigginton 9 54kg 78
10 4846641171 CHESTNUT ROAD G 7 Steven Royes 10 54kg 77
11 6616353521 KNOWING ME (NZ) G 8 John Manzelmann 11 54kg 76.5
12 60x68x3723 RANKED (IRE) G 8 Alwyn Bailey 12 54kg 76
13 87×1222535 GO BY RIO (NZ) G 5 Errol Sewell 13= 54kg 74.5
14 1×74345724 MAJOR MAJOR G 8 Roy Chillemi 13= 54kg 74.5
15 6x009500x4 MUKADDAMAH SON G 10 Trevor Rowe 15 54kg 74
16 613×921522 GOLD CUFFLINKS G 6 Terry Butts 16 54kg 71.5
17 2320553110 BOLD AND GROOVY G 4 Garnett Taylor 17 54kg 70
18 4778×63238 COURAGEOUS ROCK (USA) G 6 Gary Duncan 18 54kg 68
19 P641110x80 TURN UP THE VOLUME G 4 Trevor Rowe 19 54kg 67
20 1434536134 ALDREN G 6 Cherrie Lindgren 20 54kg 63
21 6705769221 AWESOME SIGHT M 7 John Manzelmann 21 54kg 60
22 6382542130 KHADIJA M 6 Olivia Cairns 22 54kg 58

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.