Tony Sears continues to plunder QTIS races

Toowoomba trainer Tony Sears has continued his profitable run in QTIS races.

There was only one downside for trainer Tony Sears when he continued his great run in QTIS bonus races with Red Bloom at Ipswich.

He had hoped Red Bloom’s win would be his first in partnership with his daughter Maddy.

Sears applied for a training partnership with Maddy last month but it has been tied-up in red tape.

“I thought it had all been cleared last week but the OK still hadn’t come through in time for today,” Sears said.

“Hopefully, it will be right to go next week.

“Maddy has been around horses all her life and has been training a few in her own name. The idea of a partnership is to help us both at the different stages of our careers.”

Sears was the leading trainer in Queensland on QTIS bonus money earned last season.

Red Bloom ($2.80) picked up $30,000 in prize money and QTIS bonus payments for her win in a three-year-old race over 1350m.

“QTIS has been great for the industry here and Red Bloom will chase more bonuses,” Sears said.

Oakey trainer Peter Kings thinks his winner Benico’s Prince can go on to reach 100 starts.

Benico Prince’s ($16) won his 13th race when he held on to win the Schweppes Hcp (1700m) by a nose.

“That was his 75th start and I hope he can go on to 100. He is a tough old bloke,” Kings said.

The now eight-year-old Benico’s Prince has won at distances from 1300m to 2240m and earned $239,000 in prize money.

Trained Stephen Lee continues to find it profitable to travel to Queensland meetings from his Ballina base.

Lee has closed his Gold Coast satellite stable to concentrate on NSW bonus races but he continues to have luck north of the border.

His gelding Pleased ($13) charged home to win a Class 5 (1350m).

“A bit of pace was scratched out of the race so we knew he would be closer and finish hard,” Lee said.