Stablemates aiming for third Kropp Roma Cup win

TOOWOOMBA pair on Bassett Park feature race trail.

Atouchmore and jockey Brooke Richardson winning the 2018 Royal On 99 Roma Cup at Bassett Park.

RACING :

Toowoomba trainer Matt Kropp is hoping lightning can strike for a third time at Bassett Park today when he chases another Royal On 99 Roma Cup (1640m) success.

The Kropp stable will line up in the $50,000 feature - doubling as a Country Cups Challenge Qualifier - with Atouchmore and Romakash.

Atouchmore is aiming at successive wins in the race following his 2018 victory. while Romakash is out to reward owners Roland and Sharyn Hovey with a second Roma Cup celebration.

Kropp and the Hoveys teamed to win the event in 2016 with Spice Of Life.

Jockey Brooke Richardson is striving for back-to-back Roma Cup wins on Atouchmore while Les Tilley renews his partnership with Romakash.

Atouchmore has returned to Kropp after a brief North Queensland racing stint and finished unplaced at Eagle Farm two weeks ago when resuming from a let-up.

“The cup looks a pretty open little race,” Kropp said.

“There doesn’t look to be any standouts, just a lot of handy ones with winning chances.

“Atouchmore I thought campaigned quite good in North Queensland.

“His runs were tidy without him having a lot of luck.

“It’s been a bit of a juggling act having him ready for tomorrow, keeping him fresh and fit enough at the same time for a tough mile race, but he got around Roma well last year which is always a plus.”

Romakash completed his cup build-up with a Benchmark 70 Handicap (1640m) win at Clifford Park three weeks ago.

Kropp is hoping “Bubba” Tilley’s early call to partner the five-year-old proves to be on the money tomorrow.

“Bubba has won a couple of races on him and said a while ago he’d like to be on him in the Roma Cup,” Kropp said.

“Hopefully he’s a good judge.”

Tomorrow’s eight-race Bassett Park TAB meeting also includes the Iron Jack Open Handicap (1000m) headed in weights by prolific city winner Tisani Tomso for Toowoomba trainer Kevin Kemp and 4kg claimer Josh Morrow.

# AT CLIFFORD Park tonight three-year-old Patches will be looking to lower the colours of in-form Toowoomba mare Evamac when he searches for a return to the winner’s list for trainer Michael Nolan.

Patches returns home after three unplaced city runs to contest the Eureka Stud Class 3 Handicap (1000m) with Skye Bogenhuber to ride.

He will be looking to regain the form which carried him to his latest win over Shooting Love in a Clifford Park Three-Year-Old Class 2 (1050m) in September.

The Eric Ropiha-trained Evamac is shooting for a third successive Clifford Park win.

The five-year-old regained winning touch with an overdue Class 1 (1000m) success last month before backing it up with a Class 2 Plate (1050m) victory two weeks ago.

A highlight on tonight’s card is the clash of Kevin Kemp stablemates In Your Element and Talapus in the Vale Russ Bale Class 4 Handicap (2175m).