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Tversky on trial for Melbourne trip at Doomben

12 September 2018

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By Glenn Davis

Sunshine Coast discovery Tversky will be on trial for a hit-and-run trip to Melbourne during the spring when he bids for a fourth consecutive win at Doomben on Saturday.

Trainer Gary Duncan and the five-year-old’s connections discussed a Melbourne trip following the gelding’s last start win on his home track at the Sunshine Coast on September 1.

Tversky will be ridden by regular jockey Dale Smith in the Rostron Carlyle Rojas Open Handicap (1200m).

“His owners are keen to give him a chance in Melbourne after he runs on Saturday,” Duncan said.

“I’ll need to have a proper look at the calendar but there’s a 1200-metre race on Melbourne Cup day at Flemington which suits but we’ll try and find the easiest race possible for him.

“At this stage he’s only going for one run then he’ll come back and freshen up for the Magic Millions.”

Duncan trained for more than 30 years around the Atherton region in north Queensland before moving to Caloundra on Queensland's Sunshine Coast several years ago.

He was a successful hobby trainer and carpenter in the north when he arrived at Caloundra with two horses including the well performed Mukaddamah Son.

"I was a hobby trainer back home and trained a few horses while I worked as a carpenter," Duncan said.

"I had a bit of luck and won quite a few country Cups back home.

"El Qabow won about 10 country Cups for me and was rated a bit of a country legend."

Duncan's decision to move south came at a time when one of his best gallopers Mukaddamah Son was winning his way through the restricted ranks in Townsville and Cairns.

"I only had three or four horses at the time and when Mukaddamah Son and another horse were flying we decided to pack up and give it a go here," he said.

Duncan rates Tversky as good as any horse he has trained in his long career.

“I’ve had some good horses over the years and Tversky is up there with the best,” he said.

“He races best fresh so I’ll give him a freshen up after Saturday’s race before he goes to Melbourne then he’ll have time for another freshen up before the Magic Millions.”

Duncan is yet to decide Tversky’s Magic Million target.

“There’s the Magic Millions Cup or he could go to the QTIS race,” he said.

“He’s pulled up well after his last win so he should be hard to beat again.

“But I’d like a bit of rain as he doesn’t like hard tracks.”

Racing Queensland webnews   September 12