Dom Tourneur, fresh from a winning quartet at Balaklava on Thursday, is set to return home and challenge for the rich pickings at Geraldton on Sunday.
Tourneur was Geraldton’s Leading rider for six seasons before heading east and establishing a reputation as one of the nation’s best riders in Adelaide.
Tourneur has picked up the prized mount on Mad Brad for the $75,000 Batavia Sprint (1300m) and outsider Megg’s Currency in the XXXX -Gold Geraldton Cup (2100m).
Mad Brad is a talented four-year-old from the Ben Pearce camp who will be nearing his peak after placings in two of his three starts this preparation.
The consistent son of Zentsov Street holds firm support with punters and has been heavily backed into $2.90 favouritism with the TAB.
“I was quite happy to secure the ride and he looks hard to beat from the good draw,” said a confident Tourneur on TAB Radio.
“He has been racing quite well and honestly after watching the replays it’s pretty hard to fault the form in a race of that calibre.”
Tourneur and Pearce can chase their second big win in the space of a fortnight after they combined with Lady Natesa in the State of Origin Jockey Challenge at Bunbury.
In search of his first Geraldton Cup success Tourneur will team up with Ashley Maley’s Megg’s Currency.
His best result in Geraldton’s premier race was back in 2003 when he rode Big Bank into third place behind Robe River Man.
Megg’s Currency was a winner three starts back but is yet to win beyond 1820m and has failed in six attempts at the cup distance.
The seven-year-old mare is rated a $17 chance with last year’s champion Cyber Crime shading Ora Dare for favouritism at $3.70.
“She is not without some sort of lightweight hope,” said Tourneur.
“Peck and Ora Dare will be hard to beat.
“Provided she can get the trip which the trainer is quite bullish about she won’t be a hopeless chance in the race.”
Tourneur can get the meeting off to a flying start and set the tone for the afternoon when he partners Gharry Wallah in the Geraldton Wishing All Of Carnarvon Well Maiden (1200m).
The son of Passenger has sound claims to breakthrough after his last-start second to Desert Kid at Geraldton when beaten a long neck.
“It does look like a solid chance on paper,” said Tourneur.
“The race does look thin and the only one that looks likely to challenge is Cliff Green’s first starter, Kim Tasha.”
Tourneur says he is excited to claim the ride on Adam Durrant’s Slingsby in the Bunbury Motel & Serviced Apartments Maiden (1800m).
The former Sydney galloper has shown steady improvement since joining the powerful Durrant stable and will have admirers on his runner up finish to Ellinor Belle at Mount Barker.
“Adam is confident about his chances and I was pretty keen to ride it based on his assessment of the horse,” said Tourneur.”
Tourneur’s other commitments include Sandgroper (Race 4), Flirtinaskirt (Race 5), Carniolan (Race 6) and Blue Flame (Race 8).
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