Toowoomba trainer Kevin Kemp made some gear changes on Fighting Teo and they paid off when the gelding won the Grandview Stud Handicap at Ipswich.
The biggest horse racing in Queensland, Fighting Teo ($6.50) rolled to the lead for replacement jockey Jim Byrne and held on in the straight to beat Romakash ($11) by a half length in the 2150m race.
Kemp had been aiming Fighting Teo at the Ipswich Cup but when it was abandoned he set his sights on Saturday’s race.
He made several changes including removing blinkers and adding winkers.
“He hasn’t had a lot of luck in his recent starts because if he doesn’t step away cleanly he gets back and pulls,” Kemp said.
“But he got to the lead today and settled from there.”
Fighting Teo will now be aimed at the Toowoomba Cup on his home track in September,
Byrne replaced Brad Stewart who was unable to make Fighting Teo’s weight of 56kg.
“We got some easy sectionals in the middle stages which was a help,” Byrne said.
