Trainer Tony Sears has had to work hard to get riders for two of his best horses at Doomben.
Sears was able to grab up-and-coming apprentice Josh Oliver for Choice Bro on Saturday but made several phone calls before getting experienced jockey Nozi Tomizawa for promising two-year-old French Jet.
Choice Bro won the Listed Weetwood Handicap in April, and although he has failed to win in three starts since, Sears believes he is placed to perfection in the Open Hcp (1350m).
Oliver, who trode his 70th overall winner for the season at Eagle Farm on Wednesday, still has a three-kilogram claim which reduces Choice Bro’s weight to a luxury 53kg.
“He does look very well placed at the weights and last time he ran third at 1200 metres while this is 1350,” Sears said.
“But it is a stronger race and there are a couple of nice horses in the field.”
French Jet runs in over 1050m in his final race as a two-year-old.
“I had originally booked Damian Browne but he couldn’t ride the weight. Then a few other riders got snapped up before we could chase them,” Sears said.
Eventually, Sears settled on Tomizawa who is among the leading riders in Toowoomba.
French Jet won his only start at Toowoomba by 3-1/2 lengths.
