Multi-skilled Bannister back in training game

By Jordan Gerrans 

In the north Queensland racing game, Doug Bannister wears a number of hats.  

The Townsville-based Bannister splits his time between being a track work rider at Charters Towers, training and owning his own racehorses on his property as well as being the assistant starter at Cluden Park on race day.

Back around 2006, Bannister was a regular on the NQ training scene, but has only started two chances since 2008.

That will become three on Friday when gelding Self Imposed goes around for the first time for his stable.

Self Imposed was previously with Garry Lunn at Dubbo and heads towards the Class 3 Handicap (1200m) at Townsville Turf Club for their Friday twilight meeting.

Hoop Chelsea Jokic takes the ride for the Bannister team, one of her seven engagements for Friday.

“Since he has come up here, we have given him time to get used to the place,” Bannister said of Self Imposed.

“He is only a 39 rater.

“He had a good form in Victoria as a baby and has gone further north as his career has gone on.

“He is happy since he has come up.”

Bannister lives on a property around 50kms outside of Townsville over 50 acres, which used to be an old trotting complex.

He originally trained Self Imposed, a gelding who has 30 starts to his name for one win, as a sprinter, but believes the five-year-old may now get over a bit more ground further into his preparation.

“This will be a guide, he will go around, and we will see where he goes from here,” he said of Friday’s run.

“He is probably a 1400m up to a mile horse, we need to start him somewhere to start with.

“There are a few very good horses in this race that he will face.”

In the sixth event from Townsville, Self Imposed will go up against a strong field, which includes The Grove (pictured below), who is a half-brother to the All Star Mile bound The Harrovian.

Under QRIC’s guidelines, Bannister is permitted to train horses but can not work as an assistant starter in races where he has a runner.

So, on Friday at Cluden Park, he can fulfill his duties as assistant starter in seven of the eight event program, except for the Class 3 Handicap (1200m).

In a perfect world Bannister would just train and ride work himself.

But with the lack of people available to do the job of assistant starter in north Queensland, he decided to help out the local club.

Self Imposed’s stable-mate, Champagne Tilly, is likely to go around in seven days’ time at Townsville.

Champagne Tilly ran eighth last month at the track, which was just Bannister’s second starter on race day since late 2008.