JOCKEY Justin Stanley, one of the Queensland's most prolific visitors to the winning list in 2018-19, has a busy day at Keppel Park, Yeppoon, on July 23.
Since 2000 horses ridden by Stanley have won more than $13 million in prizemoney and he has a career win-to-ride percentage of 11 percent.
When acceptances were finalised, Stanley held engagements in seven of the eight races.
He has taken rides on Hot Chocolate in the Life Members 2YO/3YO (1100m), Hezagigolo (Simpson Family Maiden 1100m), Casino Thoughts (Past Presidents Open 1100m), Little Hunter (Yeppoon Committee Handicap 1800m), Toxophily (Members Handicap 1400m), Del Diavolo (Volunteers Handicap 1100m) and Victory Toast (Gardner Homes Handicap 1200m).
Hot Chocolate has drawn wide in barrier 10 but is coming off a last start second under similar conditons at Rockhampton on June 23 when ridden by Nathan Thomas.
Stanley will also be a new rider for Hezagigolo, replacing apprentice Elyce Smith who rode the three-year-old into third spot in a Callaghan Park trial on June 24. Hezagigolo has not raced since September.
Interestingly, Smith was also the start rider for Casino Thoughts. In fact they have been a constant pairing with Smith on board in each of five outings since May 11.
Stanley will be reunited with the Tom Button-trained Little Hunter after Emma Bell rode the gelding at Alpha on June 19. Stanley had ridden Little Hunter in its previous four assignments, including a comfortable win at Rockhampton on June 7.
Toxophily has been doing some travelling lately. On May 21 he finished the closest of seconds at Mackay before running third on his home track in Rockhampton on June 7.
Toxophily was then placed at Gatton on June 20 after which he returned north for a Rockhampton third on July 5 and a last start third in Mackay on July 13.
Del Diavolo's only wins were in the final weeks of 2017 and his only start this year produced a moderate sixth of 11 over 1000m at Emerald on July 14.
Topweight Victory Toast, a stablemate of Little Hunter, completes Stanley's list. Connections are hopeful of a better result than in Townsville on July 9 when Victory Toast failed to finish in soft conditions.
His previous two runs ended in good placings.
Alan Welburn
Lover of sport, particularly horse racing and all things Olympic. Have spent my entire working life in journalism, mostly with News Corp on its major metro mastheads. Done plenty of things but the best by far is having a teenage son who calls me dad.
Lover of sport, particularly horse racing and all things Olympic. Have spent my entire working life in journalism, mostly with News Corp on its major metro mastheads. Done plenty of things but the best by far is having a teenage son who calls me dad.
