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Cluden Park
Old Boy Langhro Ready to Roll on Big Saturday Card

Old Boy Langhro Ready to Roll on Big Saturday Card

10th December 2021 | By Tony Wode

A good gate and the addition of blinkers might be just what the doctor ordered to spark a return to winning form for veteran sprinter Langhro at Cluden Park tomorrow.

The nine-year-old’s trainer Georgie Holt has also booked gun heavyweight western jockey Ric McMahon for a full tilt at tomorrow’s Liam Bench 21st Open Hcp (1400m).

“He’s drawn a good gate for a change and the blinkers go back on so he gets his chance,” Holt said.

“Obviously he has to carry big weights, but the wide draws at his past few runs have been a burden.

“He still seems to be trying in his races, but he’s nine now and with the weights he has to carry he needs everything to go right.

“He should get a much better run from the good alley and it doesn’t appear to be an overly strong field.

“If he still doesn’t run well, we’ll have to start thinking about retirement.”

Langhro has been one of Townsville big race sprinters in recent seasons.

He finished second and fourth in consecutive Cleveland Bay Hcps and chased home The Harrovian in last year’s Cairns Newmarket and Dr Zous this year.

It’s almost a year since he recorded his last win, claiming victory over tomorrow’s distance of 1400m at Cluden on January 20 under 63.5kg.

But his form at his past two starts has been well short of his best, albeit under big weights. 

He finished a battling fourth to Dio D’oro over 1300m in October with 63kg and sixth behind Only Wanna Sing with 62kg in the Townsville Amateur Sprint last month.

Tomorrow Langhro drops slightly to 61.5kg, and will have the services of the highly experienced McMahon to reduce any deadweight.

McMahon, who is limited by weight, has one of the best strike rates in the land, bagging 19 winners at 25%.

The Cluden meeting tomorrow will acknowledge last season’s premiership winners with races named in their honour.

Roy Chillemi claimed the trainers’ title, Chris Whiteley and Graham Kliese shared the jockeys’ premiership and Overseas and Willygood tied for Horse of The Year.

Pictured: Trainer Georgie Holt and jockey Ryan Wiggins with Langhro after his most recent win at Cluden Park in January this year.

See the racing calendar for upcoming race day