Stablemates Phelan Ready and Facile Tigre might be in the twilight of their careers but trainer Jason McLachlan believes they still have something to give.
The two eight-year-olds begin what are possibly their final campaigns in Saturday’s Listed Weetwood Hcp (1200m) at Toowoomba.
They were earmarked by McLachlan’s late father and training partner Bruce McLachlan as potential top liners from the final batch of yearlings he bought.
McLachlan was at the top of Queensland racing for three decades, winning 16 Brisbane premierships and 17 Group One races across Australia.
Bruce McLachlan died just two months after Phelan Ready completed the 2009 Magic Millions-Golden Slipper double.
Phelan Ready has gone on to win $3.7 million prize money while Facile Tigre has won eight races and been placed in two Group One Oakleigh Plates to earn $495,000.
“It is hard to believe Dad has been gone six years in June,” McLachlan said.
“Facile Tigre and Phelan are a last link to him but I reckon he would still be keeping an eye on them.
“It probably is the last roll of the dice with them as far as carnivals are concerned. They are rising nine but Facile Tigre did win his last start before a spell and Phelan Ready won two last campaign.”
“So I reckon there are some more big runs left in them.”
Phelan Ready and Facile Tigre are both entered for the Group One Stradbroke Handicap on June 6 but need to prove they can be competitive.
“I won’t be sending them around in anything too rich unless their form warrants it,” McLachlan said.
Dan Griffin has been booked for Facile Tigre in the Weetwood and Ric McMahon will ride Phelan Ready.
Griffin will also ride the McLachlan-trained True Royal in the Optus Hcp (1000m).
The three-year-old won two of his three starts before a spell and has been working well in recent weeks.
