Ascot Handicap nominations – 2016

View the nominations for the 2016 Ascot Handicap. The Ascot Handicap will be run on Saturday 23rd April at Sunshine Coast racecourse.

 

Horse Sex Age Trainer
1 ARCHITECT G 5 Sherrie Lawlor
2 CASUAL CHOICE G 6 Tony Gollan
3 DAPH ’N’ ALF G 7 Cassandra Marsh
4 DESERT GENERAL (NZ) G 4 Liam Birchley
5 DIDNTCOSTALOT G 7 Tony Gollan
6 ELLAWISDOM M 6 Trevor Thomas
7 FRESPANOL G 5 Tony Gollan
8 HAZARD BAY G 4 Stuart Kendrick
9 HOPFGARTEN G 5 Robert Heathcote
10 JESSY BELLE M 5 Luke Oliver
11 MISCHIEVOUS DEVIL G 4 Peter & William Hulbert
12 SAMBUCA SHOT G 4 Robert R Wilson
13 SPIETH (NZ) C 3 Bryce Heys
14 TYPING F 3 Stuart Kendrick
15 WHISKEY ALLROUND G 5 Tony Gollan
16 WORTHY CAUSE H 4 John Zielke

News:

Much-travelled galloper Choice Bro helped trainer Tony Sears fulfil a training ambition when he stormed home to win the $150,000 Listed Weetwood Handicap.

Sears went to Toowoomba on Saturday with three runners in the race and Choice Bro ($15) was the outsider of the trio.

However, Choice Bro, who finished third in last year’s Weetwood, came down the outside to beat the Bjorn Baker-trained favourite Coolring ($2.60) by a long head.

Another Sears’s runner in Pillar Of Creation ($10) was a long neck back in third after having no luck.

Sears was a successful jockey before switching to training 25 years ago and was Toowoomba’s premier trainer last season.

He has often bought horses with the Weetwood in mind and Choice Bro was one of those as he cost $18,000 at a tried-horse sale in Sydney.

“Choice Bro raced in both Sydney and New Zealand where he was a Group horse,” Sears said.

“He hasn’t had much luck in his races here and after I had another look at his recent form I bought him in the calcutta last night,” Sears said.

“I suppose you could say I have been training too long but this has been my ambition throughout my career.

“It is just great with the only downer being the horse’s owners Craig and Ann Black are at a wedding and my son Michael is in London and my daughter Maddysen at Roma.”

However, he could share the win with his wife Lee and a great mate in winning jockey Jim Orman.

“Lee was the one doing all the screaming. Jim and I are mates and we often go water skiing together,” Sears said.

The win capped off a great season for Orman who outrode his metropolitan allowance last week.

“I am great mates with Tony who has stuck by me. Losing my allowance was never going to help but this should be a real boost,” Orman said.

Stay up to date with the latest sports news
Follow our social accounts to get exclusive content and all the latest sporting news!