Hugh Bowman has shown no ill effects from a heavy fall in the first race to win the Frank Packer Plate on outsider Senor Toba.
The Queensland Derby is firmly on the radar for unheralded three-year-old Senor Toba after his victory in Saturday’s Frank Packer Plate at Randwick.
Hugh Bowman bounced back from a heavy race fall in the opening event to win the 2000 metre feature on the Chris Waller-trained gelding, who relished a 600m distance rise.
Waller said they had earmarked the son of Toronado as a stayer and while the South Australian Derby was likely to come up too quickly, the Queensland version was a likely goal.
“It’s been good to see him turn it around today. We always knew he would stay, until he’s got up to this distance you haven’t been able to see the best from him, so it’s a sign of good things to come for sure,” Waller said.
“He is a lovely type, works with you, does everything right.
“He won his second start at Moonee Valley and we gave him a bit of a break to get him ready for, well I thought South Australian Derby, but he showed to me he might be able to go the Queensland path with a bit more time.”
Senor Toba ($26) appreciated the solid tempo set by the Waller-trained Achiever ($26), finishing strongly to score by 1-1/4 lengths with High Supremacy ($3.20) splitting the stablemates.
Bowman showed his resilience to jump back in the saddle after a nasty fall in the first race and agreed the Queensland Derby was the right target.
Favourite Lion’s Roar tried hard but could not reel in the first three and finished fourth.
His trainer John O’Shea had some joy a race earlier when All Hallows’ Eve took out the J H B Carr Stakes (1400m) for Jamie Kah, who was having her first ride for the stable.
