Impressive campaign earns Profiler a shot at Championships
BALLINA galloper Profiler has put his name forward for the NSW Country Championships with an impressive win at the Gold Coast on Wednesday.
Profiler, a Doomben winner three starts back, had been hampered by bad barriers in two subsequent unplaced starts in Queensland metropolitan races.
Despite again drawing a wide gate at the Gold Coast, Profiler ($6) produced plenty of fight to hold off the $2.80 favourite Liberation in the MiTek Australia Hcp (1100m).
Trainer Stephen Lee said Profiler would press on to a $100,000 heat of the Country Championships at Grafton on March 6.
“If he can run first or second he will qualify for a $400,000 final at Randwick during The Championships,” Lee said.
“He has been racing for a while this campaign but has held his form.”
Gold Coast trainer David Kelly is also looking over the border for his gelding Thermal Unit ($8) who landed some good bets to score his maiden win.
Thermal Unit, a half-brother to Kelly’s stakes placegetter Hi Son, could be set for the Grafton carnival in July.
Premier trainer Tony Gollan remains on target to beat his record for number of metropolitan winners in a season with a double at the Gold Coast.
He was successful with Social Conquest ($2) and former Sydney galloper Giuliani ($1.90) who made rapid progression from a maiden win last start to take out a class three race.
Gollan has won 65 metropolitan races this term, 14 shy of his record of 79 with five months of the season remaining.
“We just concentrate on getting winners and let the records look after themselves,” Gollan said.
“I was pleased with Giuliani’s win because the race wasn’t run like we expected and he did show fight.”