Caulfield Cup winner Jim Mason prepares first two-year-old runners at Doomben since return to training

Caulfield Cup winner Jim Mason will unwrap his first two-year-olds on Saturday at Doomben since he resumed his training career in Queensland last year.

Caulfield Cup-winning trainer Jim Mason has a pointer for punters as he prepares to unleash his first two-year-olds at the races since resuming his training career in Queensland last year.

Unraced gelding Toro Chase, who won a trial earlier this month by 6½ lengths, and rookie filly All Glass, who won her trial by almost four lengths, are in different races 35 minutes apart at Doomben on Saturday.

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If Toro Chase wins or goes close in the QTIS Jewel Prelude (2YO colts and geldings), Mason said he has no doubts All Glass will perform well in the following race, the fillies division of the Jewel Prelude.

Toro Chase is rated an $11 chance in his race and All Glass is $13 in her race.

“All Glass always had the wood over him but as time went on he started cutting it with her, and she was always a good measuring stick,” Mason said.

“If he runs well, I know she will.

“It doesn’t always work out the way you think it will, but having a look at how he races should give everyone an idea about her prospects.

“What they beat in their trials, I don’t really know.

“But prior to them trialling, they were both showing really good ability.

“If they hadn’t have gone there and trialled really well I would have been surprised with both of them.

“They are pretty professional, they know what they are doing.

“I feel they are both going pretty good and you have got to test the water.”

Caulfield Cup-winning trainer Jim Mason will unleash his first two-year-olds since restarting his career in Queensland. Picture: Ben Dorries

Group 1-winning rider Nikita Beriman, who Mason has had a long working relationship with, will ride both of the two-year-old rookies.

Mason was 32 when he trained Arctic Scent to a Caulfield Cup victory in 1996 and last year made a return to training as the private trainer on the Sunshine Coast for businessman and owner Michael Sherrin.

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Having his first two-year-olds hit the racetrack in his return to training represents a big moment for Mason.

“We have got a few in work now and probably 80 per cent of them are two-year-olds, these are the first ones to race,” Mason said.

“This whole (training) project was really based on developing these younger horses as opposed to the ones who have already been up and racing.

“Toro Chase is a ready made two-year-old racehorse who looks powerful.

“I’d probably think All Glass will make a terrific three-year-old filly.

“Mike (Sherrin) is always mindful about the longer term rather than the shorter term, but these two are ready to go on Saturday.

“I’ve known Nikita a long time and she’s a very good rider and she’s brilliant with two-year-olds.

“I don’t give her instructions, I just let her go on them and I just find that an incredibly easy way to work things.”

Neither of Mason’s two-year-olds on Saturday are QTIS horses so they won’t be bound for the rich $500,000 QTIS Jewel 2YO on the Gold Coast fortnight later.

Originally published as Caulfield Cup winner Jim Mason prepares first two-year-old runners at Doomben since return to training