Pascoe eyes new stable star with Dracena's return

By Glenn Davis

It’s been 12 months since Toowoomba trainer Troy Pascoe celebrated his only stakes winner with Flash Aah in last year’s Ipswich Cup.

Flash Aah has since retired following his defeat in last year’s Toowoomba Cup and now Pascoe hopes his talented mare Dracena can emerge as his next stable star.

Dracena makes her long-awaited return in the Benchmark 70 Handicap at Doomben on Wednesday.

The four-year-old daughter of Dracarys has not raced since finishing a close fourth to the highly rated Walsh Bay over 1600 metres at Doomben in August last year.

The defeat behind the Chris and Corey Munce-trained Walsh Bay followed two impressive Doomben wins at her only other starts for Pascoe.

Pascoe has booked jockey Anthony Allen to ride Dracena, who was once touted as a possible Queensland Oaks contender last year.

“She’s a nice mare with a lot of ability and was nominated for the Oaks last year, but she had a few niggling problems and missed the race,” Pascoe said.

“She’s coming along well and has had two trials, but she wasn’t knocked around.

“When she came back from spelling, she was very fat and was 60kg over her winning weight.

“But, her weight is slowly coming down, so she’ll probably need this run as she’s still about 20kg above where I’d like her to be.”

The Ipswich-born Pascoe has no set plans for Dracena.

“We’ve missed the winter carnival with her and if we aim for anything I’d like to win the Lismore Cup in September as it’s only 1500 metres,” he said.

“I was born in Ipswich, that’s why I took a lot of satisfaction from winning the Ipswich Cup with Flash Aah last year.

“But, I grew up in Lismore, so being a Lismore boy, I’d love to go back and win the Cup there.”

Pascoe took over the training of Dracena after her former trainer Joshua King moved to New Zealand.

King was a private trainer for prominent trainer, breeder and owner Steve Tregea, who trained and owned Incentivise early in his career before the champion former galloper was transferred to Melbourne's Peter Moody.

Pascoe has 16 horses in work, including five for Tregea at Toowoomba’s Clifford Park.