Scone Race Club will stage its first Thursday meeting in 13 years this week.
With Kembla Grange staging a twilight meeting on Friday the Thursday date was left vacant as none of the other provincial clubs p[icked up the date.
Racing NSW needed a country club that could deliver a meeting of provincial standard and Scone provided the goods.
Among the quality runners with a big future is the Greg Bennett trained Pro Consul which resumes in the Dream Ahead @ Emirates Class Three (1000m).
Bennett has plans to return Pro Consul to city racing at Randwick on Melbourne Cup day after Thursday’s race and t has high hopes for him long term.
“I think he will run well first up and will acquit himself well throughout this preparation but in my view he is still one prep away from reaching his full potential,” Bennett said.
“A return to city racing will do him no harm. It’s all part of his education.
“He spelled really well and returns a much stronger horse but essentially he is still a big baby and has quite a bit of growing up to do.
“I don’t expect that we are going to see the best of him until he has another break.”
Pro Consul has started only six times for three wins including a win in a C2 on Scone Cup day in May.
He had one more run after that for a seventh in a BM 70 at Randwick before going to the paddock.
Pro Consul was tuned up for his return to racing by winning a trial at Scone 15 days ago beating Battlefront and Shocking Behaviour, an effort that gave Bennett considerable satisfaction.
Bennett’s 2kg claiming apprentice Kassie Furness will ride Pro Consul.
She has two other rides for the stable on Escalera and Concetta and a fourth ride on the Dianne Lumsden trained Silver Shark in the heat of the Rising Star Series for apprentices.
Leading Scone trainer Luke Griffith also has ambitious plans for his runners at the meeting led by Akamas.
Akamas, to be ridden by apprentice Winona Costin, is on track for a start in the Muswellbrook Cup on Melbourne Cup day after he resumed with a close fifth over 1200m at Newcastle on October 5 following a trial win at Muswellbrook.
