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Weighing up between the big weight versus the wet track has trainer Todd Smart in two minds with Attainment for the feature race at Queanbeyan today. The well-performed galloper has an affinity for wet tracks which he has this afternoon with a Soft 7 rated surface, but counteracting that is his big weight of 61 kilograms.

Attainment will run as one of the favourites ($3.10 on TAB fixed odds) for the Tony Campbell Memorial Joe Cleary Racing Benchmark 55 (1600m) – a race that Cleary was hoping to win with Uncle Gerry. Cleary has scratched Uncle Gerry which will take some of the speed out of the contest and has Smart wondering how the race will pan out.

Attainment with Rachel Hunt aboard - the galloper should go close at Queanbeyan today. Image by Bradley Photographers

The trainer rates his horse highly providing he can carry the big weight: “He loves the soft track so there is no problem there. It’s just the big weight that I’m not sure about,” he suggested.

Attainment has been a great investment for his owners earning $124,000 after being purchased for $15,000.

His victory at Gundagai three weeks ago was his “grand final” according to Smart and if he can do it again at Queanbeyan it would be a bonus.

Attainment is raced by a syndicate who are primarily based at Gundagai where Smart also hails from.

The trainer has raced Attainment once previously at Queanbeyan for a third when “he got well back and ran home well”. His last start unplaced run at Canberra followed two strong performances in Sydney Highway Handicaps where he finished third and fourth.

“His record on wet tracks is really good, but he can be a bit of a thinker and not race as well sometimes on good surfaces,” Smart said. “He felt the harder ground at Canberra and didn’t want to go a yard.”

With conditions made to order, Attainment will need to win to continue his current preparation with the tracks certain to harden up over summer.

“If he doesn’t win he will go for a break and come back when the tracks are soft again,” Smart said. The trainer will also run Kailis Pearl who will be having her third career start and will be at decent odds ($12) in the Maiden Hcp.

View the final fields with full form & race replays for Queanbeyan here