Tom Dougall's Go Wandji set for long-awaited comeback

By Glenn Davis

Toowoomba trainer Tom Dougall is hopeful sprinter Koruto can maintain his perfect Gatton record on Thursday as he eagerly awaits the long-awaited return of star sprinter Go Wandji.

Koruto was trained by Dougall’s close friend Campbell Roberts who is based at Garah, just north of Moree in Northern NSW, before the gelding was sent to Toowoomba to continue his career.

A Karl Zechner mount, Koruto will have his sixth start for Dougall in the Benchmark 65 Handicap over 1400 metres.

Under Dougall’s care, Koruto has had a win and two seconds from five starts and is coming off a last start second to the Pat Webster-trained Office Jim in the 1400 metre Dalby Cup on September 16.

The Written Tycoon six-year-old won for the first time for Dougall at his previous start in a 1400 metre Benchmark race at Gatton nine days earlier.

“I’m good mates with Campbell and he sent him to me thinking he’d be better suited in races up this way,” Dougall said.

“If he didn’t fire he was going to go straight back to Campbell but he’s going great.

“He went terrific at Dalby last start and had every chance and having won at Gatton is a big help.

“He’s raced by Spot Racing which is a bunch of farmers who come from the Garah district across the border.”

While Dougall is confident Koruto will be competitive again, he’s just as excited about the impending comeback of Go Wandji.

Go Wandji was once touted as a Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap contender before his career was halted by a breathing issue.

A winner of eight of his 12 starts, Go Wandji is yet to miss a place in his career but has been off the scene for 14 months since finishing second to Tumbler Ridge in a 1350 metre Open Handicap at Doomben in August last year.

Since then, Go Wandji has undergone two throat operations and will soon make his comeback during the Queensland Summer Racing Carnival. 

“Touch wood everything is okay with him now and he’ll probably start again in about two months,” Dougall said.

“The first throat operation he had was a disaster but the second one has been successful.

“It’ll be good just to get him back racing again but he won’t be aimed for anything big just yet.”

Go Wandji was purchased by Dougall’s father, John, for $20,000 as a yearling, and huge offers from Hong Kong have been rejected for him.