The decision has been made.
Star horsewoman Kylie Rasmussen will not make a comeback to driving this weekend.
Speculation grew on Tuesday of a return to race driving by the former metropolitan premiership winner to partner emerging star Major Cam in the $20,540 AQWA Constructions Lord Mayors Cup at Albion Park this Saturday night.
Rasmussen took the winning trial drive behind the giant Art Major gelding when he romped home in a time of 1:56.7 on a rain affected surface.
But those plans have been shelved.
At least for now anyway.
Rasmussen has engaged the services of talented reinsman Gary Whitaker to drive her stable star in the first of the open class features during the Racing Queensland summer carnival.
Whitaker has driven 12 winners to date this season and is a dual Group One winning reinsman.
“I thought about it long and hard but in the end, I went with Gary because he has race fitness on his side and I’m confident he will handle him well.” Rasmussen said.
During the 2013/14 season, Rasmussen was a runaway winner in the metropolitan driver’s premiership and easily accounted for the likes of Grant Dixon and Shane Graham.
Rasmussen drove 46 Albion Park winners that term and 118 overall for the season.
During that season, Rasmussen suffered a back injury following a fall behind Heres Rommel while another nasty spill behind Ella Michelle in 2016 has left her on the sidelines ever since owing to the constant pain in the delicate back region.
But a possible return seemed realistic given the emergence of Major Cam in recent times.
The six-year-old has won 18 of his 31 starts to date while winning 5 of his last 7 efforts but Rasmussen has opted to remain in the grandstand.
“He’s a very talented horse and his form is very strong, the draw makes it very tricky but he’ll be doing his best yet again. He hasn’t raced since September and will improve on whatever he does this weekend.
“I thought he felt great in the trial earlier this week, he covered the ground so easily and his sectionals were solid so I’m happy with his condition.
“Obviously Glenferrie Hood and Avonnova are the toughest to beat given their good draws, both are high quality rivals.”
Rasmussen is no stranger to quality herself having partnered the likes of the country’s greatest ever pacer in Blacks A Fake (72 wins - $4.57 million) plus one of the state’s best mares in Forever Gold (42 wins - $700k).
