By Glenn Davis
Tolga trainer Roy Chillemi hopes to get a better guide to his winter prospects with a three pronged attack in the QTIS Three-Year-Old Handicap at Townsville on Tuesday.
Chillemi originally planned to saddle four runners but has scratched Higher Realm and will rely on Tennessee Boy, Robig and Waterway in the 1200-metre event.
Chillemi has been at the helm of north Queensland’s racing operation for more than three decades and last season claimed his 15th Townsville training premiership with 20 winners.
The 71-year-old has arguably three of north Queensland’s best three-year-olds in his stable with Higher Realm, Tennessee Boy and Robig, but all have a massive weight burden imposed on them.
Higher Realm and Tennessee Boy were joint topweights with 63kgs while Robig was allotted 61kgs and Waterway 56.5kgs.
Chillemi was reluctant to separate his two and fears their weight - particularly on a rain-affected track - will have a big bearing in the result.
“Those three (Higher Realm, Tennessee Boy and Robig) are the best three-year-olds I’ve got in the stable but whether they’re the best in the north remains to be seen,” he said.
“They’ll all got a hell of a lot of weight so what weight will they get next time if one of them wins?
“The way it’s going, our good horses will have to leave because of their big weights so perhaps it’s time a weight ceiling should be imposed.
“Other than that, they’ll be forced to step out of their three-year-old shoes and race in Open company.”