News Article

Buckle Up Wes set for first-up tilt at Topgun

24 / 10 / 2014 Article by: TR Internal
Buckle Up Wes winning a heat of the Golden Easter Egg in Sydney earlier this year icon Click to enlarge

STAR Tasmanian sprinter Buckle Up Wes will resume from an injury-enforced spell in the Group 1 invitation only Topgun at The Meadows on Saturday night.

Buckle Up Wes hasn’t raced since winning his state final of the National Sprint Championship in early August.

He had to be scratched from the national final due to a leg injury sustained in that race.

He injured the ligament that runs down to the stopper bone with the only remedy being time away from racing.

The dog’s trainer Ted Medhurst says Buckle Up Wes has fully recovered and will go into one of the most prestigious races on the Australian calendar in top order.

The reigning Australian Cup winner usually goes well fresh and that’s what Medhurst is banking on.

“The dog is fully recovered because we gave him all the time he needed and I’m really looking forward to heading to The Meadows for this race,” Medhurst said.

“He’s had five lure runs leading up to this race and I couldn’t be happier with him going into Saturday night’s race,” he said.

Buckle Up Wes has drawn box five in the Topgun that boasts some of the best sprinters in the nation.

“We’ve got box five so we have to deal with it but he’s won from six at The Meadows.”

“There isn’t a lot of speed in the race so that is something in his favour.”

“I am very happy with the dog and if he wasn’t right we wouldn’t be making the trip across the water,” he said.

Buckle Up Wes has proven himself as one of the nation’s best sprinters with his Australian Cup win and performances in other Group 1 events testament to his ability.

He was bred by Robyn Johnson and part-owned by her along with her good friend Sharron Sutton.

The dog as an imposing career record having won 29 of his 48 starts with 12 minor placings for stake earnings of $401,485.