The Craiglea Stud road show hits town on Saturday with three genuine chances in the heats of the Doomben two-year-old race races.
Trainer Krystle Johnston is hoping to get her first city win with either Craiglea Jabiru or Craiglea Wandoo in the Mitavite Handicap for colts and geldings.
She then hopes to make it a city double with Craiglea Zip in the fillies’s Gary Palmer Memorial.
Johnston has already clocked up 23 wins on all tracks in just under 12 months of training full time.
Most of her horses are from the Craiglea Stud on the Sunshine Coast, which is run by her father Stan Johnston.
The Craiglea team travel all over the state with great success in their quest for QTIS bonus money.
Craiglea Jabiru has already won three races and $64,000 prize money, Craiglea Wandoo has won twice for $41,400, while Craiglea Zip has two wins for $37,400.
Craiglea Jabiru and Craiglea Wandoo have run the quinella at their past two starts in Townsville and Mackay.
Craiglea Zip ran third to her two stablemates in the Townsville race while there was only one non-Craiglea horse in the eight horse field in Mackay.
Krystle Johnston admits there aren’t too many highways she hasn’t seen running north, south and west of her Sunshine Coast stables.
She cannot calculate how many kilometres she has clocked up driving in the past year.
“It has been a great grounding and we have been all over the state,” Johnston said.
“But it is time to give the horses their chance in the city.”
“Craiglea Wandoo has drawn the inside and Craiglea Jabiru the outside so I suppose that is what racing is about with luck.”
“Craiglea Zip is drawn off the track but she has a three kilo claim for James Orman and some early pace.”
She said it would be great to get her first city winner but more so for her father who put a lot into racing.
“It has been a learning curve and I have enjoyed every minute. The city wins will come and I just hope it is Saturday,” she said.
