Quality Youngster Biding Time As A Sprinter

PUNTERS prepared to take the $1.16 about the unbeaten Line Of Quality are expected to earn every bit of their return at Wentworth Park on Wednesday.

PUNTERS prepared to take the $1.16 about unbeaten youngster Line Of Quality at Wentworth Park on Wednesday night are expected to earn every bit of their return.

Trained by Darryl Thomas, Line Of Quality makes his Wentworth Park debut off two stunning Richmond wins, recording 30.38 and 30.45 for the 535 metre journey.

"He's already showing us he wants further but we'll try and squeeze some 500 wins before stepping him up," Thomas said.

"The Richmond runs showed me he's pretty smart in a field which helps so after Wednesday night we might have a crack at the Young Star Classic in a few weeks time. But that'd probably be it for 500 I'd say. We'll let him tell us."

Drawn box one in the last event at Wentworth Park on Wednesday night, Line Of Quality, a son of Kinloch Brae and All Quality, has been installed rock bottom odds to take out the 1-2 wins event.

But given his lack of genuine early pace, Thomas is concerned that box one may well prove to be more of a hindrance than a help.

"Usually I'd give them a few slips at Wenty before putting them out of the boxes but with him I just put him straight over 520m," Thomas said.

"He went 4.68 early and 18.20 up the back but ran home in like 11.55. And the scary thing is I've hardly done anything with him. Other than the Wenty trial the only time he sees a lure is at the races.

"From the red on Wednesday night he could find a bit of trouble. But if he gets up the back with clear running he's got about six tenths on anything in the run home.

“It's the last race and he'll get back so things can go wrong. But I've got no doubt if I took him back and trialled him tomorrow he'd run 29.60.”

Displaying all the hallmarks of being a future star stayer, Thomas says the recently introduced injection of funds to NSW 600 metre racing will prove an added boost for the exciting prospect into the future.

"It's a massive help," Thomas said.

"Knowing those races are there for city prize money provides that grounding for building them up to 720m racing.

"He's very exciting and has stayer written all over him but until they actually run it you don't know for sure.

“The plan is to just poke along for now and let him find his feet. There's no rush."

On a Million Dollar Chase front, Thomas will decide in the next week whether Xerri has another start before the semi-finals of the series at Wentworth Park on October 9.


"I'm undecided what to do there," Thomas said about the Gunnedah regional final winner.

"He's trialling at Wenty Tuesday night and I'll decide in the next few days what to do with him.

“I want to get that race fitness into him but you don't want something going wrong the start before a race like that either."

At Maitland next week, Whitfield, a litter-brother to Xerri, will look to book his MDC semi-final spot following a strong second to Fire Legend in the heats.

"His heat run was enormous," Thomas said.

"For a young dog to make up ground in that time was a big effort."

 

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