October 21, 2016
The training honours for last weekend’s Wondai Cup day were taken out by Lindsay Anderson.
In league with former local jockey, Jason Hoopert, the Hivesville horseman prepared the first two winners.
Liverpool Jane took out the Crumpton & Sons Maiden Plate (850m).
The ex-Victorian mare, raced by Lindsay’s friends and associates Peter and Toni Crow, bolted in by seven lengths.
Next up, the consistent placegetter Chen Wicko prevailed in the Murgon High School Reunion Handicap (Class B, 850m).
The side was just a half neck shy of a clean sweep of the first three races when his valiant, old trooper Glenthorn Avenue went down to Jeb’s Boy (Corey Bayliss) in the Generation Funerals Open (1100m).
Although Glenthorn Avenue was lining up for the fourth weekend in a row, he looked superb post-race.
Lindsay Anderson knows how to keep his string fresh and competitive. The merit of his effort is enhanced by the fact that he usually has no more than three gallopers in work at any time.
Apprentice Corey Bayliss chalked up his 12th victory and his first career double when he saluted on Teemolton in the Ken O’Dowd MP QTIS BM 55 Handicap(1100m).
Tony Green is a fan of Red Dazzler and paid $8,000 for the son of Eureka Stud’s stallion.
The other part-owner is the bay’s Dalby trainer Max Smith.
The name Teemolton is made up of “Tee” for Treacle (Max’s nickname), “Mol” for his wife Molly and “Ton” for Tony. The four year old collected the QTIS bonus and comfortably earned a very useful sum of $8050.
Another former Wondai licensee is Pat Duff, the trainer of the 2015 Wondai Cup hero Fasta Than Light.
On Saturday he was back again with Unbowed, the top weight and favourite for the Roy and Glenis Radunz Wondai Cup (BM 65, 1465m).
Apprentice Hannah English avoided any chance of her mount resenting kickback by working to the lead on settling down.
The pair set a healthy but controlled pace and then left the chasers Leaps and Bounds and Famechon Baroness in the shade in the home stretch.
The Refuse To Bend gelding cruised in by six lengths while David Kirk, his 88 year old owner, was doing his own cruising on a voyage around Australia.
English’s grandmother Noelle Bartlett had two runners to interest her.
Pat Duff is her cousin and she is part owner of the fifth placegetter Lucks In.
It was a family affair. Pat’s twin brother Cedric was Unbowed’s birdcage parade attendant.
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Kumbia Gears Up For The Cup
The Huston Motors Kumbia Cup heads a great card on Melbourne Cup Day.
Stalwarts Jim Lenihan, and Joyce and “Boy” Reed, will again be honoured with their respective memorial races, and the stakes on offer for the day includes two types of QTIS Bonuses attached to the Class 1 Handicap (1200m).
The Fashion contests have been boosted with sashes, jewellery, an accommodation package at the Bunya Mountains and a gift from Sunshine Mitre 10 among the prizes.
Losers can be winners too with the betting ticket draw involving various items such as Racing Queensland apparel that has been autographed by Queensland’s new Racing Ambassador, rugby league star Billy Slater.
New sponsors this year include Cedric Duff’s Glendalough Brangus Stud, Rohan Voller’s Denture Studio and Fiedler Brothers Plumbing.
It is also gratifying that most of Kumbia Race Club’s regular sponsors have saddled up again for 2016.
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Remembering Bill Oliver
The strength of Bill Oliver’s handshake would have been handy for a retired southern jockey whose nickname included the word Handbrake.
However, the greeting that was a trademark of the popular, prominent South Burnett identity was certainly a positive expression.
It was always accompanied by warmth, and was a reminder of the earnest, energetic involvements in his life.
It was fitting that the celebratory, farewell service at St Mary’s at Kingaroy last Friday reflected his spirit.
Mourners would have sensed his real love for family, colleagues, friends, work and his pastimes.
Although Real Love was probably the omen for the 2016 Caulfield Cup that was run the next day, Oliver would more than likely have supported the well credentialled favourite Jameka on what would have been his 84th birthday.
Personally, I know that I will fondly remember Bill each time the Melbourne Cup carnival comes around.
He loved running long distances and having an astute bet was second nature to him. Also, his well honed sense of competitiveness matched the demands made on the Melbourne turf each November.
Each of the four days of the festival has a specific race-day flower. They are cornflower, yellow, pink and red roses.
In Cup week, Flemington’s rose gardens are in full bloom and the gardeners schedule the floral displays to perfection.
Bill’s placing of wagers if there was a plunge going on with the horses he had with Barry Green was also carefully timed. You have to smirk when you recall that one of his conveyances was called Ima Devil.
Bill called races at Nanango and tended to the track’s rose garden. The ex-buckjump rider was also a forthright and decisive racing columnist for the South Burnett Times.
While Bill’s passing is a definite loss to the thoroughbred world, it is fortunate that some of his progeny are using their genetic endowment to continue the tap root sire’s passion for racing.
- Related article: Obituary: Bill Oliver 1932-2016
