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Scone Contingent Heads North

28th May 2009

Racing And Sports - Grahame Timbrell - Thursday, 28 May 2009

Scone Cup winner Obvious Choice will be one of five horses from the rich country meeting heading to feature races at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

The Paul Messara trained Obvious Choice will run in the Sir Edward Williams Handicap (1500m) with Scone Cup winning jockey Dale Spriggs retaining the ride.

Messara said Obvious Choice has settled in well at the Gold Coast.

“The rain has stopped but it's not all that warm which means he is still going to strike a wet track,” Messara said.

“It is not the ideal race for him and I would have preferred not to have to bring him back in distance but my options are limited because of the programming.

“He will go to the Ipswich Cup, Caloundra Cup and then the Queensland Cup.”

The Jason Coyle trained Soiled, third in the Scone Cup, will again oppose Obvious Choice along with the Toby Edmonds trained Centover, which finished ninth.

Mudgee trained two year old Hewentwhoosh, winner of Inglis Challenge at Scone, will start in Saturday's G2 QTC Sires Produce Stakes with a new rider in Corey Brown.

Hewentwhoosh , bought for just $4500 at last year's Inglis Scone sale and now with winnings of more than $85,000, arrived in Brisbane last Tuesday.

“He is such a professional little horse. You wouldn't have known he was on the float,” said trainer Brett Thompson after his arrival.

The John O'Shea trained Espurante, despite only 10th in Scone's Dark Jewel Classic, has gone to Brisbane for Saturday's G3 Dane Ripper Quality.

Scone based Messara will also start Rezyana in the G1 Queensland Oaks with Nash Rawiller to ride the filly.

The lightly raced Rezyana raced into contention for the Oaks with a close second to Rockdale in last Saturday's G3 Rough Habit Plate at Doomben.