IF there is strength in numbers, Mackay trainer Olivia Cairns looms as a serious contender for the Innisfail Cup (2000m) on October 19.
Cairns could have four runners after accepting for Mason's Chance, Level Eight, Mustarrid and Miazumi.
Jockeys Nori Yadi, Graham Watson and Mark Elliott have respective engagements to partner Mason's Chance, Level Eight, Mustarrid but a rider is yet to be named for Miazumi as she is only an emergency. As such Miazumi is yet to obtain a starting place and must await at least one scratching to run.
The former Battle of the Bush winner Mason's Chance was a winner a week ago in Bowen when ridden by Chelsea Jokic.
Level Eight also competed last weekend, running second to Hunter Island in the Emerald 100 (1850m) after leading for a good portion of the event with Sonja Wiseman in the saddle.
Robert Thompson, who bases himself in the NSW coalfields region and is Australia's most successful rider in terms of individual victories, returns to North Queensland in the pursuit of more successes.
He rides The Frontier in the Maiden Plate (1100m) for trainer Stephen Massingham, Narda Shar for Sharlee D'Avila in the Trainers Cup (1500m) and three for the Janel Ryan stable - Yalangi in the Class B (1200m), Polar Blast in the Johnstone River Open (1200m) and We Just Love It in the Cup.
In Mt Isa, the Les Huddy Memorial Bracelet (1100m) will be one of the feature contests.
Runners include last start winners Galea Warrior, which scored at Winton on September 21, and Safdie, a Mt Isa winner on October 5.
Le Chef (Exceed and Excel-Red For Lou) is the topweight and a horse with history. He won the $2mil Magic Millions as a two-year-old in the summer of 2015 when trained on the Sunshine Coast by Darryl Hansen.
However, he has failed to live up to the early promise and was transferred to trainer Jay Morris last year and in six runs for the stable, Le Chef has won three times.
The seven jockeys riding at the Maranoa Digger's Race Club meeting at Mitchell will be busy. Anna Bakos, Nathan Evans, Tessa Townsend, Dakota Graham, Michael Schrapel and Terry Treichel will have rides in each of the five events and Chris Bryen has four mounts.
Miles-based Bevan (Billy) Johnson has two of the seven starters lining up for the Booringa Cup (1400m). Graham will be aboard Money Ad and Schrapel is on the stablemate Yeezy.
Bryen will ride the topweight Double Superlative for Roma's Craig Smith, Evans is on Priceless De Hero for the St George trainer Pat Webster and Treichel will pilot Immutable for Charleville trainer Leslie Baker.
Bakos is on another Charleville horse, William Pugsley's Shadow Vixen, and Townsend is to ride Macmissile for Kumbia-based Royce Connolly.