Out to shine in Jewel

Toowoomba filly to face crack Brisbane two-year-old in $500,000 Gold Coast feature.

Toowoomba filly Kisukano winning at Doomben last month. Picture: Trackside Photography

RACING : Exciting Toowoomba filly Kisukano has taken her next step towards Saturday’s QTIS Jewel Two-Year-Old with a favourable barrier draw in the $500,000 Gold Coast feature.

Kisukano tackles a 10-horse field in Saturday’s rich 1200-metre dash where her rivals include unbeaten Eagle Farm gelding Rothfire.

Kisukano opened her career with an effortless debut win at Clifford Park on February 1 before finishing a game second behind Rothfire at Eagle Farm two weeks later where she was beaten by 4½ lengths.

She has since won in equally impressive style with a 4¼-length demolition of her Doomben opposition two weeks ago where she downed Redoute’s Image and Hembrow in a Two-Year-Old Fillies Plate over 1110 metres.

Rothfire meets Kisukano 3kg better at the weights following their last meeting and has drawn barrier eight for the rematch while Kisukano has come up with gate four.

Trainer Michael Nolan said Kisukano has enjoyed a faultless Jewel preparation.

“She’s fit and well and had a good gallop on the cushion yesterday,” Nolan said yesterday.

“She hasn’t put a foot wrong the whole prep.

“We know how good a horse Rothfire is but for once we’ve drawn a decent alley and we are going to get a good run.

“If we are racing for second, so be it, but the race is a great concept and it’s just nice to be a part of it.”

Toowoomba will have a three-pronged Jewel tilt with the Rex Lipp-trained Real Fine Wine and Spirit One for trainers Tony and Maddysen Sears also lining up.

Real Fine Wine backs up after a Dalby maiden win last Saturday while Spirit One resumed last start at Doomben with a 5½-length fourth behind Kisukano after leading for home.

Lipp and the Sears stable are also players in the $300,000 QTIS Jewel Three-Year-Old (1200m) with Gem Of Scotland and Raging Pole respectively in the starting 16.

Both have wide barriers to overcome with Gem Of Scotland drawing gate 13 and Raging Pole 17.

Gem Of Scotland returns to racing this week after stamping herself one of Queensland’s leading two-year-olds.

She hasn’t raced since winning a Three-Year-Old Handicap over 1400 metres with 59kg last October.

The Rothesay filly helped prepare for her return with a smart Clifford Park barrier trial (925m) win last month.