Aspen Lad on trial for Cairns Lightning

By Glenn Davis

Trainer Darryl Johnston is hopeful his decision to dodge the Lightning Handicap in Townsville with Rockhampton flyer Aspen Lad will reap its rewards at Mackay on Tuesday.

Aspen Lad – a Paul Hamblin mount – steps out for the first time since late February in the Benchmark 70 Handicap over 1100 metres at Mackay.

The seven-year-old was scratched from Sunday’s Lightning Handicap at Cluden Park.

“Something didn’t quite sit right with me about running him first-up in the Lightning in Townsville,” Johnston said.

“I didn’t want him to have a gut buster without a barrier trial and his mission now is the Cairns Lightning.

“It’s his first run back from a bleeding attack and I haven’t been able to barrier trial him and I thought Mackay would be the better option to start him off at this stage.”

Johnston will be shooting for his second win in the Lightning Handicap at Cairns on August 26 after claiming it with Isa Tala, who also won the Townsville edition in 2017.

“I think he should be very competitive at Mackay and I’ve booked Paul Hamblin to ride him with 63kgs,” Johnston said.

Johnston’s partner Natalie Summers has been the six-year-old’s regular rider but he feared he would have to carry too much dead weight if Summers  was reunited with him.

Johnston - who has been training since 2008 - has a team of 10 horses in work who are all ridden work by dual-licensee Summers.

Aspen Lad is one of the quickest sprinters in Central and North Queensland, but incurred an automatic three month ban when he bled in a 1050 metre Open at Mackay on February 25.

The son of Bagger Vance was leading when he compounded quickly and beat only one runner home behind Villa Villekulla.

“There’s only one other speed horse in the race in Mackay and he could be a pest and I think Dr Neigh is the one to beat,” he said.

The Tim Cook-trained Dr Neigh has been racing consistently with two wins and four placings from his past seven starts.

The six-year-old will be ridden by Ash Butler and is coming off a last start third to Molongle Surprise over 1000 metres at Townsville on July 21.