As the weather chills down, the racing starts to really heat up, as we see many top carnival contenders commencing their preparations and build to the major carnival races.
The first of the feature races comes on Monday June the 9th with the 18th running of the Parry Nissan Great Northern 2 Year Old Classic over 1200 metres worth $100,000. Many exciting youngsters have stamped their hooves down for favouritism of this great race, the leading contenders include locals Kickitbacklow, Sir Nicolls, and Diamond Pursuit. However there is a big line up of southern and northern invaders ready to take them on. Some of the big out of town dangers include the Rockhampton flyer Aspiran, Fred the Legion flying the Cairns banner, and the Atherton duo of Pubz a Plenty and Pubz Baron. Expect another action packed Parry Nissan Race Day on Monday June the 9th and watch these great juveniles scorching the turf in their quest for the $100,000 in prize money on offer in this exciting race.
As well as the juveniles making their mark on the carnival we are seeing some fantastic preludes to the big carnival races. This years $75,000 XXXX Gold Cleveland Bay race shapes as one of the best yet. This race is renowned as one of the best sprints north of Brisbane and this year should prove to be no different. After winning the last two XXXX Gold Cleveland Bays, local hero Sea Zulu is looking to make it a three peat, as he strives towards achieving this remarkable milestone. Sea Zulu is currently in scintillating form, having not been beaten in three runs back from a well deserved break, although he narrowly avoided a loss with a dead heat for first with another local champion in Prince Of Steel a few starts ago. There is bound to be a smothering of top sprinting stars working towards this great race, and over the next two months the sprinting action at Cluden Park will be sensational.
The jewel in the racing year is of course the Jupiters Townsville Cup. With a steep history dating back almost 125 years this time honoured race carried the prestige commonly referred to as "The Melbourne Cup of North Queensland". The race is fondly remembered as "Party Kings", a local hero of Townsville racing who won three Townsville Cups in a row in 2000/01/02. Last years winner Legal Brief has a great record in the race and no doubt he will striving to make it back to back wins now as a 9 year old. Some other top contenders include Shoot First, last years runner up who is racing in fine form heading into the Cup, as well as Resounding Victory who has a great staying record and is certainly one to watch this year. Many other great chances will start to put their name into the spotlight as the carnival builds closer, but one thing is rest assured, the locals won't give the Jupiters Townsville Cup up too easily again this year!