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Former star jockey chasing first city winner as trainer

11 February 2020

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By Glenn Davis

Former premier Queensland jockey Adrian Coome hopes to claim his first metropolitan win as a trainer with in-form Rockhampton mare Howick at Doomben on Thursday.

Coome retired from riding to start training in October, 2018 and like his jockey days is dominating his new profession training 42 winners with a winning strike rate of around 20 per cent.

Coome has failed in six previous attempts to win in the metropolitan area but is hopeful of a breakthrough win from Howick in the Benchmark 70 Handicap (1650m).

Doomben was rated a heavy 10 at acceptance time but the wet track doesn’t concern Coome.

“She loves the wet and the distance is ideal,” Coome said.

“I’m sure she’ll run well and she’s a mare who is in-form.

“There’s only 10 in the race and she likes to get back.”

Howick has won three of her past four starts and is chasing a hat-trick of wins after winning two Benchmark races over 1600 metres at Rockhampton in December and January.

“She’s won her last two races up here but there’s nothing much around for her so we thought we’d have a go in Brisbane,” Coome said.

“I’ve tried a few times to win a Brisbane race but I’ve never won one yet.”

Coome will also use Howick’s Brisbane trip as a reconnaissance mission for a Country Cups campaign during the central and north Queensland winter carnivals.

“Hopefully her Doomben performance will give me some guide for our winter carnivals and races like the Rocky, Mackay and Townsville Cups later in the year,” he said.

Coome’s biggest wins as a trainer were with Steelz Time in the Townsville Guineas and Poetic Heart in the Rockhampton Amateur’s Cup last year.

Coombe is happy with the progress he’s made in such a short time as a trainer.

“I’ve got 24 horses in work and it’s very busy but I love it,” Coome said.

In his riding days, Coome rode 975 winners and was the State’s leading rider three times, winning seven Rockhampton jockeys’ premierships and two in Mackay.

Among his list of achievements was winning the Rockhampton Cup three times as well as three Rockhampton Newmarkets and three Townsville Cups.

Racing Queensland webnews   February 11