Shannon Apthorpe brings home the winner of the Kumbia Cup, Dom Paolo

November 6, 2013

Toowoomba jockey Shannon Apthorpe lived up to his champion namesake by bringing home four winners at the annual “Flemington In The Bush” meeting at Kumbia on Tuesday.

While most Australians had their eyes glued to TV sets watching the races from Flemington, Apthorpe was the talk of the track at Kumbia.

He missed out on bringing home a fifth winner – and blitzing the card – by only a few strides in Race 2.

Apthorpe was born to be a champion; he told the Just Racing website a few years back. He’d been named after 1940s middle-distance champion Shannon who was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame in 2006.

The annual Kumbia meeting attracted a good crowd who enjoyed the racing and a hotly contested Fashions of the Field competition.

The closest racing on the day was the feature race, the Huston Motors Kumbia Cup, which was strongly contested even though there were just four runners.

Huston Motors sales manager Dean Gauld, left, presented the Kumbia Cup to Dom Paolo’s trainer, John Hearne (from Dalby); they are pictured with jockey Shannon Apthorpe and, at right, Kumbia Race Club president Brian Lenihan and Ken Goodhew (Huston Motors) 

Margaret Huston, who was one of the judges for the Fashions of the Field competition, with Kerry Rayner

Jockey Shannon Apthorpe is congratulated on his huge day of racing by Kumbia Race Club secretary Wendy Mathews 
Fashions of the Field judges Rohan and Myolene Voller, left, and Margaret Huston, right, congratulate winner Jacqui Irwin, from Kingaroy

Lisa Scott, from Nanango, was sashed for “Most Unique Style”

Men’s Fashions of the Field winner was Shannon Scott, from Kingaroy

Sheena Uebergang, Shelley Eagle and Kimberley Dove, from Kingaroy

Letitia McDonald, from Kingaroy, Maree Slade, Redcliffe, and Helen Smoothy, Kumbia
 Checking out the form … Brian Paterson, Nanango, with SBRC CEO Ken McLoughlin, Mayor Wayne Kratzmann and Keith Kratzmann  

Sisters Judi Cornell and Trudi Bartlett, from Kingaroy

Denise Scriven, from the Sunshine Coast, on the the Fashions of the Field catwalk
David Lane (Civil Mining & Construction), Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington, Jackie Allery, Kingaroy; Dale Martin (CMC), John Gillingham (CMC) and Paula O’Reilly, Kingaroy  

Georgie 3, and Ava, 8 months, with mum Rebecca Tilley, from Wondai

Isobella Mee and Warrick White,
from Kingaroy

 

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Results

The closest finish of the day occurred in the feature race, the Kumbia Cup … Dom Paolo, in the centre, finishes just ahead of I’m The One (on the outside) and Seaza (on the rails) 

Race 1 – Rob Stewart Memorial/BP Roadhouse Nanango/Cross’s Livestock Transport/SBT Maiden Plate (1000m)
1. Mystic Medusa (7) – Shannon Apthorp
2. Sammy Safecracker (5) – Lyall Appo
3. Ain’t Going Down (9) – Nathan Evans
Time: 0:57.15
Margins: 1 1/4 lengths x 2 1/2 lengths

Race 2 – South Burnett Regional Council/Kingaroy Real Estate/Kumbia Hotel QTIS Class 1 Handicap (1000m)
1. Monduke (2) – Nathan Evans
2. Aresvepee (5) – Shannon Apthorpe
3. Dever’s Express (3) – Taylor Williams
Time: 0:56.70
Margins: 2 1/4 lengths x 2 lengths

Race 3 – McDonalds Kingaroy/Andersons Produce/BGA AgriServices BenchMark 65 Handicap (1200m)
1. Mr Axeman (8) – Shannon Apthorpe
2. Stephen Got Even (1) – Gary Geran
3. Monto (4) – Brooke Stower
Time: 1:09.00
Margins: 1 3/4 lengths x 3/4 length

Race 4 – South Burnett Dental Group/Carline Mufflers/Carrollee Hotel Class B Handicap (1200m)
1. Beautiful Barb (1) – Shannon Apthorpe
2. Scotch Rocket (8) – Michael Dorrington
3. Karzing (5) – Brice Powell
Time: 1:09.15
Margins: 2 1/2 lengths x short neck

Race 5 – Huston Motors Kumbia Cup Open Handicap (1200m)
1. Dom Paolo (4) – Shannon Apthorpe
2. I’m The One (2) – Brandon Newport
3. Seaza (3) – Lyall Appo
Time: 1:08.70
Margins: Long head x long neck

Jockey Nathan Evans spoiled Shannon Apthorpe’s perfect record by taking out Race 2 on Monduke; he is pictured with Alyssa and Sue Ross, the strapper and owner