Ray McCall Eyeing Weetwood Handicap

Trainer Ray McCall has been established on the Sunshine Coast for 20 years but still harbours a desire to win the biggest race in his old home town.

Toowoomba's $150,000 Weetwood Handicap will be run for the first time at the club's stand-alone metropolitan meeting on May 2.

McCall would love nothing better than to be in the winner's circle with his impressive sprinter He Don't Care.

McCall's best horse to date has been Messiaen who won the 2006 QTC Cup.

"Messiaen was also placed in a Weetwood and that is the closest I have gone," McCall said.

"I would like to win the race and I did win a Toowoomba Cup with Regal Rebel (in 1997)."

McCall believes He Don't Care can be competitive in the Weetwood after demolishing a handy field at Doomben on Saturday.

"It really has been a case of maturity. Last time in he didn't eat right and he did a few things wrong. But this time he is really switched on," McCall said.

McCall's trainer daughter daughter Natalie McCall has her Stradbroke Handicap winner River Lad back in work for the winter and the gelding will probably return in the Victory Stakes at the Gold Coast on April 25.

Rival trainer Robert Heathcote believes he is on the right path after electing to switch sprinter Hopfgarten to middle distance racing.

Hopfgarten returned with an impressive win in an open handicap over 1350m at Doomben on Saturday.

The gelding will be aimed at the Hollindale Cup (1800m)-Doomben Cup (2000m) double in the winter carnival.

"I have always thought his best distances would be 1600m to 2000m. He has given me every indication he will get a strong 2000 metres," he said.

"I don't think the weight for age in the Hollindale Cup and Doomben Cup will worry him at all."