RIVALS might be need to be at their best to repel husband and wife Glenn and Hannah Richardson in two of Chinchilla's races on June 6.
Glenn has accepted with Just For Glory and Cape Noctem for respective appointments in the QTIS Maiden (1200m) and Class B, over the same course, and Hannah will ride both runners.
Just For Glory (Olympic Glory-So Sharp It Hurts) was a tidy third over 1300 metres at Dalby on May 9, the best of her five runs so far.
She followed with a fourth at the Sunshine Coast on May 29 and Glenn has excused the filly for either effort.
"At Dalby she was a little underdone but still raced very well so I freshened her for an 1100m race there but the meeting was called off," he said.
"Then we went to Caloundra and she was found out on the big track because I had purposefully freshened her for that Dalby race and even though she hit the front on the turn she came up short.
"Since then she has trained on well and I think she will be very competitive."
Cape Noctem (Love Conquers All-Overdel) has the ability to win but is having only her second outing back from an autumn break, the trainer said.
"She has her share of weight (61kg) but she can carry weight and on her day she would handle these," he said.
Hannah will also be aboard three-year-old Third Martini for the Graham Banks stable in the Benchmark 55 (1400m).
Probably the best bred runner going to Chinchilla, Third Martini is a daughter of Dawn Approach from Poetic Debate by Dylan Thomas, and was a maiden winner in Dalby in mid-January.
The seven starters in the Switched On Electrical Open (1400m) in Charleville have a bit of experience on their side. Between them they have contested 281 races, winning 48 times for a collective prizemoney purse exceeding $657,000.
The Wayne Baker stable has three of the runners - Gendebein (to be ridden by Kate Patch), Bridyn May (Brooke Richardson) and The Consigliere (John Rudd) and trainer Mark Johnstone will be represented by stablemates Classic Wind (David Rewald) and Tocco D'Oro (Scott Sweedman).
Of the runners at Mt Isa few will create as much attention as Deadly Day, the topweight for the Benchmark 55 Handicap (1450m).
Trained on the track by Damien Finter for owners Lloyd and Wendy Hick and to be ridden by Dan Ballard, Deadly Day (Domesday-Magic Idol) is the younger half-brother to bush marvel Deadly Choices.
The six-year-old Deadly Choices, a son of Golden Snake, was a winner of the Country Cups Challenge last November at Doomben and before that he was narrowly beaten in the Battle Of The Bush final.
Deadly Day has not scaled such heights but is a winner and placegetter from only five starts, each of them at Townsville's Cluden track when prepared by Tony Comerford.
He made his debut on November 5 last year, running eighth of 10 and just before Christmas had his second start when fifth of 12.
He resumed from a summer spell to finish eighth on April 12 before finding winning form in maiden grade on April 23 and last start, on May 7, was beaten less than half a length in a 0-55 Rated Handicap.
"He is a work in progress but I've trained a few of the family and they get better with age," Finter said.
"He has come to me in great condition and Lloyd and Wendy like racing their horses out this way. Hopefully we can have a bit of luck."
George Tripping has the numbers stacked against him in the Maiden Plate (1200m).
Tripping has Reason For Treason, a son of Declaration of War and from the same crop which produced 2019 Melbourne Cup winner Vow And Declare, in against four runners from the Julia Creek stables of Tanya Parry -Hickson, to be ridden by Tim Brummell) On Top Once More (Justin Esser), Good To Dream (Shaun Mossman) and Principle (Terrence Hill).
Tripping has engaged Ray Hancock to ride his four-year-old.
Speedsters That's Our Song (Member's Benchmark 55 Handicap 1000m) and Bootshaker (Annavale Brahman Open 1000m) are likely favourites for their events in Charters Towers.
The four-year-old That's Our Song led throughout for an effortless win on debut in an 800 metres maiden at Charters Towers on March 7 and Peter Cullen has retained the ride. But That's Our Song (Your Song-Space Odyssey) rises three kilograms in weight to 61.5kg.
Ten-year-old Bootshaker (All Bar One-Honesty) will be ridden by Martin Haley in his bid for an 11th career win.
Eagle Farm-based Tony Gollan has sent She's A Rippa to Yeppoon for the Ulton QTIS Handicap (1200m). Placed three times in eight starts, She's A Rippa will double her racetrack earnings if successful.
Heavyweight jockey Ashley Butler has been booked for the ride on She's A Rippa (Love Conquers All-Derippa).