WINNO'S WINNERS: TOOWOOMBA, SEPTEMBER 27, 2025
By Darren Winningham | Thursday, September 25, 2025
This weekend we are up the hill and far west today at TOOWOOMBA with the meeting featuring the Toowoomba Cup and the Weetwood.
The locals will be out in force and for sure kick on further later in town – it will be a big weekend in Toowoomba!
The track is rated ‘Good’.. The rail is in the true position this weekend.
Resident caller Anthony Collins will call the big day – an expert race commentator and another QLDer like his mate Josh Fleming who is now the Racing & Operations Manager for the Club – and doing an amazing job!
The AFL Grand Final is on – Geelong to thrash the Brisbane Lions by plus 29 points! In the NRL preliminary finals we should see Penrith and Storm moving forward to the Grand Final next weekend – the same result as 2024.
NB: As these selections were made prior to race-day, please check for any changes to track conditions and for any scratchings on the day.
Race
A nice race to start off the day – a Class 3 race over 1000 metres.
Selections:
3 – Pre Eminence
10 – Express Code
1 – Bossed Up
8 – La Petite Maison
Race 2
A BM78 race over 1200 metres.
Selections:
8 – Esjay
7 – Big Boy George
9 – Downey
11 – Provance
Race 3
A BM78 race over 1200 metres.
Selections:
5 – Bright Blonde
2 – Hidden Melody
12 – Thinkhardandfast
3 – Just Precious
Rough chance – (8) Araminta
Race 4
A BM80 race over 1625 metres.
Selections:
5 – Exceed Speed
2 – Free Carry
10 – Ludovisi
9 – Uncommon Valour
Race 5
A BM70 over 1300 metres.
Selections:
16 – Shelstein
12 – Kinross Lane
8 – Flywheel
7 – The Deputy
Rough chances – (10) Take A Picture
Race 6
First leg of the Quaddie. Class 6 over 1300 metres.
Selections:
4 – About To Explode
5 – Battlefield
9 – Last Chance Saloon
1 – Substantial
Race 7 TOOWOOMBA CUP
One of the feature races on the program today, the Toowoomba Cup is over 2000 metres.
I am going for a Brisbane horse to steal the local trophy!
Queen Air (10) from the Tony Gollan stable who is in solid form. Can Gollan break a drought in what used to be his hometown? He has not won the race since 2013 when Bang On won it! She is third up here for the stable with Angela Jones to ride. Last start was working home nicely over 1630 metres – she may be one run short – but I think she is a genuine contender here.
Chris & Corey Munce train the improved runner Walsh Bay (11) who has now won his past three starts. He fought them all off last start at the Gold Coast over 1800 metres in a very dominant effort. He looks like the distance will be no drama and Damien Thornton will ride him again. He has ridden him to his past two wins. Munce will be looking to post another win in this feature race – he first won the race in 2023 with Military Gambler – who was ridden by Thornton.
Chris Waller Racing has Caboche (3) with Kyle Wilson Taylor to ride here. He peaked late over 1630 metres at Doomben last time out – he will probably be better over the longer distance.
The locals are probably best represented by Nikau Spur (4) trained by Corey & Kylie Geran with Corey Bayliss to ride. He was solid in the Grafton Cup back in July. Then went for a spell. Resumed at Doomben last start over 1630 metres. I am thinking he would have derived some benefit from that run and would have trained on nicely – will love stepping out on his home track.
Selections:
10 – Queen Air
11 – Walsh Bay
3 – Caboche
4 – Nikau Spur
Rough chances – (13) Barazin
Race 8 WEETWOOD HANDICAP
Toowoomba’s signature race – the WEETWOOD for 2025.
Tony Gollan first won the race in 2023 with All That Pizzazz and then won it again last year with Hidden Wealth. Can he post a hat trick of wins?
He has two solid chances – Give Giggles (12) and About To Explode (16), if the latter, currently and emergency acceptor, gets a run.
Give Giggles (12) to be ridden by Ben Thompson (won the race in 2023) is my choice from his stable. I think he will race handy on a track where you normally must be near the lead to win. She has won her past two starts over 1200 metres and has been impressive winning on both occasions. She should settle a few pairs back in the running and give Thompson every chance to guide her to a win.
The stable mate, waiting in the wings, is About To Explode (16). He has won his past two starts as well leading into this race. His last start at Doomben was sensational when he came from last on the turn and rounded them up and went away to win in a dominant fashion. I feel that he will have to be ridden closer on this track – he has proven that he can win from midfield previously.
Both of Gollan’s runners are well placed.
Now for the local runners. Let me start with Mark Currie and Tavs (14). This gelding goes well fresh and Currie has given him two solid hit outs in preparation for the first up effort. They have supported this runner previously first up and got the chocolates. He has drawn well in barrier 2 – he should get the run of the race – is he fit enough first up is my only question? Currie is looking for his first Weetwood victory – on a track where he usually dominates!
The other local runner that I like is Exotique Miss (5) trained by Michael Nolan with Cejay Graham aboard. She is resuming after a 13-week break and has had one barrier trial. She raced at Group 1 & 3 and Listed levels across the Brisbane Winter Carnival. She is all class. She has won at her home track and her first up record is amazing – 5 starts – 3 wins and a second. She is drawn barrier 8 and she always races handily. I think we have some speed in the race – she gets an awesome trail into the race and if she gets out and gets a crack at them last could see Michael Nolan win his hometown race for the fourth time. His last win in the feature was in 2017 when he trained Jumbo Prince – who dead heated with the Ben Currie trained – Col ‘n’ Lil.
Genuine rough chances for Russian Alliance (10) trained here by Kevin Kemp and the impressive The Inflictor (3) who is second up – Adin Thompson will ride.
Selections:
5 – Exotique Miss
12 – Give Giggles
16 – About To Explode
14 – Tavs
Rough chances – (10) Russian Alliance & (3) The Inflictor
Race 9 MAGIC MILLIONS TOOWOOMBA GUINEAS
The last race – on a massive day of racing – off to the pubs in town after this one!
A race for the three-year-old runners over 1200 metres. Gollan looks like he will dominate this race – three excellent chances.
Selections:
5 – Impervious
6 – Foreign Press
3 – Cryptolini
9 – Boomshanka
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Jockey’s Challenge
Looks like it is a battle between Ben Thompson, Angela Jones and Cejay Graham – Ben Thompson has a nice book of rides so I will go for him.
Early Quaddie (races 2 to 5)
7,8,9 / 2,5,12 / 2,5 / 8,12,16 - cost is $54 to $1
Value Early Quaddie (races 2 to 5)
7,8 / 5 / 5 /1 2,16 - cost is $4 to $1
Quaddie (races 6 to 9)
4,5 / 10,11 / 5,12,14,16 / 3,5,6 - cost is $48 to $1
Value Quaddie (races 6 to 9)
4 / 10,11 / 5,12,16 / 5,6 - cost is $12 to $1
Treble (races 7 to 9)
10,11 / 5,12,14,16 / 3,5,6 - cost is $24 to $1
WINNO V ANTHONY COLLINS
I will be taking on ANTHONY COLLINS on his home turf – he does have a hometown advantage, but I am confident I can give him a towelling this weekend – how about a $10 scratchy on the result Mr Collins?
The battle continues this weekend with WINNO and COLLINS – yet another QLDer trying to inflict pain on me!
Be sure to check the up to date and amended tips each Saturday morning on Facebook after any track changes and scratchings where I will post our selections and any late mail!
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