Skip to main navigation Skip to main content

Zielke puts faith in apprentice in Sunshine Coast Cup

24 January 2018

Share this page

Share on a platform

Or copy the page link

By Glenn Davis

Trainer John Zielke has put his faith in apprentice Jag Guthmann-Chester for the ride on

Sunshine Coast Cup hope Dreams Aplenty on Saturday.

Zielke was surprised when Dreams Aplenty received only 54kgs in the Listed 1400-metre feature and went searching for a senior jockey when his two regular riders Luke Dittman and Ryan Plumb were unavailable.

“I know it’s a big race and apprentices can’t claim but Jag is probably our best junior rider at the moment,” Zielke said.

“Jag didn’t nothing wrong and rode to instructions when he won on him at Ipswich.

“I was sitting on the fence for a while and waited until after acceptances when I saw Luke’s ride Trubia drew wide but I haven’t heard if it’s running or not.

“Ryan couldn’t ride him as he’s riding at the Gold Coast.”

Zielke admitted he was pleasantly surprised with Dreams Aplenty’s minimum weight.

“I couldn’t believe he only got 54kgs. I was thinking 55.5 or even 56kgs,” Zielke said.

“The handicappers have shown him no respect whatsoever but it’s a belated Christmas present for us.”

Dreams Aplenty is a noted frontrunner but Guthmann-Chester took the initiative and sat off the pace when he couldn’t lead in his Ipswich victory.

Dreams A Plenty proved his class last winter with four successive wins including the Group 3 Gunsynd Handicap at Doomben.

Zielke is again planning a winter carnival assault along with stablemate Hopes Eternal who will run in the Coastline BMW 3 Series QTIS Two-Year-Old Plate (1200m).

Dittman, who has returned from a Bali holiday, will partner Hopes Eternal, a last start second to Meryl in the Group 3 B J McLachlan Stakes at Doomben last month.

“Hopes Eternal should just win,” declared Zielke.

“He’s flying at the moment and is jumping out of the ground.”

Zielke said Hopes Eternal has improved immensely following a recent growth spurt.

“I reckon he’s grown half a hand in the last six weeks,” he said.

“He’s only having this run before he goes south for the Sires’ Produce in Sydney.

“He’ll start off in the Pago Pago, then the Sires and then the Champagne Stakes.”

Zielke hasn’t ruled out returning for the Group 2 Sires Produce Stakes and Group 1 J J Atkins at Doomben during the winter if all goes well in the south.

Racing Queensland webnews   January 24