Toowoomba trainer Tom Dougall enjoys prolific 24 hours

By Jordan Gerrans

Smiling Darling Downs trainer Tom Dougall went within a length of recording a rare training milestone on Saturday across regional Queensland.

The Toowoomba conditioner prepared a winning treble on Saturday afternoon across the day meetings of Chinchilla (Dane Ichi) and Nanango (Basil’s Bow and Les Girls).

The Dougall team then went to the Clifford Park Saturday evening program with two chances in an attempt to prepare winners at three separate race programs in one day.

While preparing three winners at different tracks happens on a regular basis for city trainers with hundreds in work, Dougall is producing the strong results with just 10 in his barn. 

And, his stable star Go Wandji was not even one of his runners on Saturday. 

Incomparable and More Success could not complete the trio of track winners for Dougall on Saturday with Incomparable going the closest as the veteran gelding went down by just over a length at Toowoomba. 

With just a small team in work, Dougall was pleased to see his gallopers run well on the country and provincial circuit.

“You need to do the best with what you have got,” Dougall said.

“It was a really good day.”

After running second in town earlier this month, popular gelding Go Wandji returns to Eagle Farm this Saturday afternoon.

Go Wandji is on the comeback trail after a tough run with injury and surgeries.

The six-year-old gelding has gone down by less than a length in his two runs this year in Benchmark grade and that is the same level he will be competing in this Saturday.

Dougall has resisted the urge to throw his top sprinter in the deep end and will again claim with Jake Molloy’s allowance.

Go Wandji will contest the Benchmark 85 Handicap on Saturday over 1400 metres and the Darling Downs trainer admits he has to start thinking about the gelding’s plans going forward.

Dougall is tossing up whether to cut his summer campaign short and be ‘cranked up’ for winter or press on through the summer months and then target races later in the 2024 winter.

Dougall's father John – who owns the gelding – and the trainer will have to get to thinking post-Saturday.

“He is going terrific,” the trainer said of Go Wandji.

“If he had won the other day then we would have likely had to have a look at the Falvelon.

“We are lucky to have someone like Jake who can keep him in these Benchmark races with the weight, which is pretty good. Jake is a quality young man and rider.”

The Dougall team’s prolific Saturday started with Les Girls getting the money in a QTIS Ratings Band 0 – 60 Handicap over 1000 metres at Nanango before stable mate Basil’s Bow won the last of the day, a Benchmark 55 Handicap over the mile.

Hoop Chris Meehan was in the saddle for both Basil’s Bow and Les Girls' victories. 

“They are both owned by great people who just really enjoy their racing,” Dougall said of Basil’s Bow and Les Girls.

“They really get a kick out of winning a race anywhere. Les Girls has come back from a spell and is racing really well, she has probably improved a bit this prep.

“Les Girls put in a good effort to run the leader down. Basil's Bow was bred by the people who own him so they get an extra kick out of winning a race.

“Both sets of owners really enjoy their racing so it is really good to win a race for them, no matter what.”

Dougall was on track at Nanango while a couple of hours down the road a promising stayer of his was winning on debut.

Dane Ichi is owned by Anthony Gorring who was proud to see the debutant score under race conditions for the first time.

“It was a really good result as he is owned by a local who has properties around the Chinchilla area,” the trainer said.

“He wanted to try and win a race at Chinchilla and thankfully it worked out. He is a horse that is going to get over a long trip so 1400 metres is probably a bare minimum even at his first race start.

“We were pretty confident that he would at least keep coming over the 1400 metres and he only got there the last bit, but thankfully he got there.

“He is going to run a long trip so that will give him his chance next preparation.”

With eight winners (19 per cent strike-rate) and 11 (at 45 per cent) top three finishers so far this season, Dougall is enjoying his best campaign in several years.

He has the best strike-rate for both categories since the 2016-17 season.