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Bowen trainer Tom Button rates talented sprinter Head Honcho one of the best in his stable and is hopeful better things are ahead for the three-year-old after his Townsville assignment on Thursday.
Head Honcho – a Michael Mcdonald mount – is chasing back-to-back wins in the Class Three Plate over 1000 metres.
Tom Button bought the son of Headwater as a yearling when he was in a training partnership with Gold Coast trainer Ryan Tyrell and decided to leave him there when he made the move to Bowen.
"He's a nice horse and he was one of a few horses like Jemeldi who I thought could be competitive in Brisbane, so I left him with Ryan," Button said.
"I really like him and he's one of the better horses in our stable along with Jemeldi who is a Group Two placegetter in Sydney.
"Jemeldi is now back with me in Bowen and he won in Townsville last month."
Button has 20 horses in work at Bowen and rates Head Honcho as the best of his Mackay starters.
Head Honcho has started six times in north Queensland for three wins and two placings and is coming off a victory against his own age in Townsville on November 17.
Button believes Head Honcho has benefitted from race experience after being headstrong early on in his career.
"He used to get to the front and stargaze but that's only experience," Button said.
"He's a nice horse but he's got a few tricks.
"He's been banned a couple of times because he hangs out a lot and if he can sort that out, he's going to be really good going forward."
Head Honcho faces stiff opposition in the Class Three Plate spearheaded by the Roy Chillemi duo of Yamabushi and The Wallet.
Yamabushi has had a win and four placings from his past five starts and is coming off a last start second in a 1000-metre Benchmark 60 race at Atherton last Saturday while The Wallet broke through for his second win at Innisfail earlier this month before placing in a 1000-metre Benchmark race at Townsville on November 17.
Meanwhile Button will make a late call whether to start promising mare Cinque Terre in the Benchmark 70 Handicap over 1609 metres.
A four-year-old daughter of Harry Angel, Cinque Terre has been a revelation in north Queensland since being moved on from the James Cummings stables in Sydney and Melbourne.
Cinque Terre was a cheap on-line buy after she broke her maiden status at Kyneton in April.
"We bought her for less than $20,000 off Darley after she won at Kyneton," Button said.
"She's a progressive mare who hasn't had many starts.
"She's still only a Class Three so I'll take her through her grades up here and see where she ends up."