Coronavirus could force The Harrovian to Brisbane

Boasting a staggering win rate of a tick over 43 per cent with a further four podium finishes, there’s little argument to The Harrovian’s standing as the best horse in north Queensland.

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The Harrovian is back, but it might be for just one more run before a move to Brisbane.

Boasting a staggering win rate of a tick over 43 per cent – 10 wins from 23 starts – with a further four podium finishes, there’s little argument to The Harrovian’s standing as the best performing horse in north Queensland.

The Harrovian has finished in the top two in his past nine races, winning seven, and despite carrying the top weight, should start a clear favourite for Thursday’s open handicap over 1250m – his first race since winning the Cairns Amateurs Cup and sealing the first Northern Crowns Bonus in September.

But a move to Brisbane in the very near future may be on the cards for the six-year-old as trainer Stephen Massingham chases tougher competition – and less weight – for the champion gelding.

With the coronavirus pandemic wiping the regular racing calendar, and the future of the region’s major races like the Cairns Cup and Cleveland Bay Handicap now up in the air, Massingham admitted The Harrovian would race with no clear target in mind.

“We’ll just run him and see how he goes, but then he might have to go to Brisbane,” Massingham said. “He’s weighted out up here. He’s got 65.5kg and he’ll keep getting more with more success. You just can’t do that to a horse, so we’ll have to look to Brisbane.”

Roy Chillemi will start both Love Is Blind and Crimson Halo in the same race.

It shapes as an audition of sorts for Love Is Blind, a three-year-old who will step up against some of the best horses in NQ in The Harrovian and Ricky Ludwig’s Windmill Lane, which won its last two and boasts a 46 per cent win rate in 28 starts at the distance.

“I just want to see how he goes,” the master trainer said. “It’s a look and see. Sooner or later he’ll step up to the open.”

An eight-race program will be run at Cairns Jockey Club, with the first to jump at 12.47pm. The meet will be open to only essential personnel.

Originally published as Coronavirus could force The Harrovian to Brisbane