November 2, 2014
by Ross Stanley
In the past, the Kumbia Cup program has produced memorable red letter days for two Darling Downs jockeys.
Back in 2001, Leanne McCoy rode the card in an era when four races was the standard fare for the famous Tuesday.
And last year, Shannon Apthorpe landed four winners and a second that helped the Downs stables to a clean sweep.
This time around, though, local South Burnett trainers are primed to defend their territory, with runners prepared by the Kumbia Race Club Vice-President James Curtain, Tom Moloney, Tony Williams, Christiene Nettelfield, Kaylene Hamilton and Norma King (who will also have representatives at Charleville).
Opposition floats will travel from Oakey, Toowoomba, Dalby, Roma, Warwick, Taroom, Gympie, Chinchilla, Longreach, Caloundra and Kurwongbah while the Japanese jockeys Manabu Kai and Naoki Ogura will add an international flavour.
The Huston Motors Kumbia Cup will be an absorbing affair with veteran Lyall Appo (Brady’N’Me) no doubt keen to outfox the younger brigade of Ogura (Aashiq), Rhiannon Payne (Rattle’N’Run) and Hannah Phillips (Atlanta Falcon).
Payne, who is indentured to Curtain, is very much in form with a bag of four winners hooked over the past two Saturdays, while Phillips will be having her third work day since incurring a serious knee injury in July.
It would be a tremendous boost if she could chalk up a Cup day feature triumph.
Jason Missen, a regular rider in the South Burnett, has an interesting book of rides too.
He will partner Hidden Duck as usual for Norma King, the newcomer Talk Back for Christiene Nettelfield, the highly consistent Exstratum for Longreach conditioner Bevan Johnson and Lady Wivenhoe for the Marshall Thoroughbreds Syndicate.
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The Kumbia Race Club has been delighted with the string of voluntary sponsorship offers they received.
This support has come from a marvelous community cross-section that includes Kingaroy Real Estate, Carline Mufflers, St Mary’s Catholic College, BGA Agriservices, Lion Beer, the South Burnett Regional Council, South Burnett Times, South Burnett Dental group, the BP Roadhouse at Nanango, Andersons Produce, McDonalds Kingaroy, the Carrollee Hotel, the Kumbia Hotel, Lenihans Butchery and Old Boyneside Thoroughbreds.
James and Laurie Curtain have also donated a free service to Over for the Cup victor’s owners.
Racegoers will be pleased to see the availability of a wider range of foods, increased stocks of refreshing liquids, a larger television and improved toilet amenities at the track this year too: all fundamentals in the delivery of an enjoyable experience.
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Because Tuesday’s main event at Kumbia is a Cup, it is exempt from Racing Queensland’s Minimum Field Size policy that usually requires at least six acceptors.
The administrative authority has shown admirable flexibility by waiving that stipulation for more than a quarter of the 23 meetings over the peak Victoria Derby-Melbourne Cup period.
Toowoomba, with two four horse contests, has been a chief beneficiary.
Interestingly, Clifford Park has drawn just 29 acceptors while Kumbia has 38.
The date is a major revenue raiser for the state’s clubs that are fortunate to be holding meetings and it makes sense to give patrons as much local action as possible to supplement the excitement that surrounds Flemington’s iconic event.
“Neighbours” Gladstone and Rockhampton have got around the problem of finding enough jockeys by timetabling the former’s finale for noon and the latter’s kick off for 2:25pm.
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Cup Considerations
Given the fact that there are 11 international “raiders” with overseas trainers in this year’s Melbourne Cup but only four of them have started here, there is enormous guesswork and intuition needed regarding their form-lines and current condition.
It is vital to stick to your own thoughts and not be swayed by the spruikers and coat-tuggers.
The following few points may be useful in making a profit.
Handicapper Greg Carpenter’s claim that Admire Rakti (with 58.5 kilograms) will have to equal Think Big’s 1975 effort to score is numerically correct but, in reality, misleading.
Because mares are allowed 2.5 kgs, Makybe Diva’s 58 kg in 2005 was the equivalent of a male carrying 60.5.
Although weight will be unlikely to stop the Japanese stayer, he has never successfully backed up as quickly as this time.
On the plus side, his pedigree includes Sunday Silence and Northern Dancer references in a pattern quite similar to Delta Blues’. However his Caulfield Cup time of 2.32.12 was excessively slow. It was a blanket finish, an outcome often viewed as producing unconvincing form.
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If Zac Purton repeats his significant Caulfield Cup whip infringements, Tuesday’s margin best not be a nose.
There was some talk of possible legal action after the 2010 Australian Cup when Zipping edged out Sirmione.
Nick Hall, the successful hoop, was fined $1,000 after correct weight was declared for applying the whip 10 times prior to the 100 metre mark.
Purton’s fines ($3,000) are on the public record.
Connections of any narrowly defeated starter that have suspicions about whip rule breakages would be well advised to ask to view the patrol film as per a normal protest preliminary.
Any objection along this lines would make for a gripping hearing!
It does seem to be only a matter of time before circumstances deliver the stewards a giant headache.
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Longshots are often placed.
Try and find a first four to match the 1999 result when Rogan Josh (5/1) beat Central Park (50/1) and the dead heaters Lahar (140/1) and Zazabelle (50/1).
Folk who do not follow form and are once-a-year punters can have fun by teaming up as a group and putting a certain amount into trifectas or First Fours that box their picks.
It won’t work if all the coupled fancies are under $10, though – it’s important to include a roughie or two.
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Jockey Craig Williams has publicly offered the opinion that it will be a fast run Cup.
That scenario would suit the more grinding, dead set staying types and unsettle the Caulfield Cup form thoughts.
The international jockey, who was on Admiral Rakti when he grabbed fourth money in a Japan Cup, has the advantage of having a great handle on overseas and local performance histories.
Of all the factors that contribute to defeat, the most telling is a steed’s inability to run 3200 metres quickly enough.
The judge does not put the numbers up after 3199.99 metres.
It will be fascinating to watch the popular Australian bred Fawkner over the final part. Zabeel’s grandson is up 2.5 kilograms on his 2013 mark when he plugged on for sixth.
Whilst Fiorente clocked a respectable 2.20.30, Media Puzzle (2002) took just 3.16.9 to complete his metric two-mile assignment.
If Fawkner’s major task this campaign was to lift the Cox Plate, the grey may be tested by a briskly conducted Melbourne Cup trip this year.
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Simply play the omens or odd spots.
An example is the Yamanin Vital gelding Who Shot Thebarman.
New Zealand owner Dan O’Leary named the Chris Waller trained proven two-miler after a call successfully employed by his late aunt Julie when she wanted someone to refill her glass with gin.
Seriously, this grandson of Sir Tristram is great value at 25/1 each way.
His sire has produced three 3200 metre winners and Glen Boss knows a thing or three about winning Melbourne Cups.
Good luck on Tuesday and you will need a very good excuse not to go to Kumbia, the Flemington of the North!
