Townsville flyer makes Brisbane debut at Doomben

By Glenn Davis

A decision to dodge the heat and big weights in North Queensland could reap it rewards when Townsville flyer Roweiner’s Dance makes his Brisbane debut at Doomben on Saturday.

Roweiner’s Dance will step out for the first time for new trainer Lindsay Hatch in the QTIS 3YO Open over 1200 metres.

The son of Sidestep was previously trained by Townsville’s Bill Kenning and won seven of his 11 starts in the state’s north.

Roweiner’s Dance stunned racegoers with a record-breaking almost eight-length victory when he won for the sixth time in his first eight starts at Townsville on May 5.

Kenning is a part-owner of Roweiner’s Dance and decided to send him to Hatch at Toowoomba following his first-up win against his own age at Townsville on September 29.

Kenning used blinkers on Roweiner’s Dance for the first time in his latest victory and Hatch is keeping them on.

“Bill decided to send him down because he’s getting too much weight up north and it’s starting to get hot up there at this time of the year,” Hatch said.

“I had a lot to do with the horse early in his career.

“Billy sent him to me to be educated before he raced and I had him broken in, educated and jumped him out of the barriers a few times.”

Hatch is hopeful Roweiner’s Dance will measure up in the Brisbane region but has no fixed plans in mind.

“Billy will be very happy if he can win a race around this area,” Hatch said.

“We just want to see how he handles this race on Saturday and we have no great expectations.

“If he measures up then he could go on to the QTIS Jewel in March.”

As far as his debut assignment in Brisbane is concerned, Hatch will be happy with a top four finish.

“He’s a very harden horse but if there’s a question mark it could be the 1200 metres,” Hatch said.

Roweiner’s Dance is yet to win over 1200 metres but has been placed at his two attempts in two-year-old company at the end of his last campaign.

Hatch believes there’s plenty of depth in Saturday's race in town which marks the return of Rob Heathcote’s promising sprinter Abounding.

Abounding hasn’t raced since the Queensland winter carnival where she placed in three successive black-type races.

The daughter of Rich Enuff has won only once in seven starts but placed in the Group 3 Ken Russell and Listed Bill Carter before a last start third in the Listed Oxlade at Eagle Farm in June.