Claiming apprentice Brooke Ainsworth has been given a golden chance to boost her profile with the key ride on promising Ringo’s A Rockstar at Eagle Farm.
Ringo’s A Rockstar will be having his final run for the summer in the QTIS Three Year Old (1200m) where he faces a strong field.
The gelding has earned top weight of 60kg after winning four races and finishing second in another two from seven starts.
Ringo’s A Rockstar is trained by Norm “Whopper” Stephens, the 85-year-old doyen of Queensland racing who knows all about the dangers of carrying big weights.
Stephens was worried about sending Ringo’s A Rockstar around on a hot day with the weight and believed Ainsworth’s 3kg claim would be invaluable.
“We have been planning for this to be his last run this summer and then we can bring him back for the Gold Coast Guineas in May. If he races well in it we can aim a bit higher,” Stephens’s son Wayne said.
Ainsworth was the leading apprentice on the Gold Coast last season and has been gradually building up her city appearances.
Damian Browne will ride Spring Tycoon in the race after missing his last win in October.
Paul Hammersley got the late pick-up ride when Browne was caught in a traffic jam on the Bruce Highway.
“He owes me one and he will be better as the distances get longer,” Browne said.
