By Glenn Davis
Toowoomba trainer John Thomas has no plans to return to the Queensland Racing Carnival if talented youngster Rothgo maintains his unbeaten record in the Group 3 Ken Russell Memorial Classic at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday.
The 71-year-old Thomas has been training since 1975 and has been based at Toowoomba for almost a quarter of a century but has never saddled up a starter in a Group race.
“I’ve had a few starters in Listed races but I’ve never won a stakes race,” Thomas said.
Thomas is a part-owner of Rothgo.
The gelding was bred by cattlemen Kris and Cameron Benjamin, who hail from Glamorgan in South West Queensland.
The son of Rothesay won his maiden on debut over 1000 metres at the Sunshine Coast on March 19 then overcame a pre-race drama to win at Eagle Farm on April 15.
Rothgo was held up in a traffic jam en route from his Toowoomba stables to Brisbane and only just made it to the track in time that day.
Despite winning both starts, Rothgo is not nominated for the upcoming feature juvenile races, such as the Group 2 Sires' Produce Stakes and Group 1 J.J Atkins, which also will be held at Eagle Farm.
“He goes well but I do think some people are getting carried away with him,” Thomas said.
“He’s won both races quite well but he’s meeting the big boys now.
“He’s not nominated for the bigger races in the winter and if he wins, I don’t want to bust him.
“We’ll be sticking to our original plans and will give him a break after this.
“He’s a QTIS horse so we’ll chase some of the big QTIS prize money with him as a three-year-old.”