May 17, 2019
The jubilation at day’s end at Burrandowan last Saturday was both understandable and delightful: four months and 29 rides after his January debut booking at Bell, Joshua Morrow made his first ever trip to a winner’s slot.
The very, very tall apprentice soared in the stirrups after his clear cut victory in the KellCo Livestock Burrandowan Cup (1740m) on The Irons, a grey by The Hammer from Jason Gergory’s Toowoomba yard.
The keen lad, who could possibly have seen the outskirts of Kingaroy at that moment, had the extra excitement of accepting a special prize.
Annually at the fixture, Cr Kathy Duff presents a silver bracelet in memory of the 1922 chance meeting at the course that led to the marriage of her grandparents John and Dorothea Duff.
Morrow, who is indentured to Toowoomba mentor Steve Tregea, had gone agonisingly close to an Anzac Day triumph on Clouds at Wondai.
The four kilogram claimer also has six third place entries in his logbook.
He handled The Irons ($2 favourite) astutely, parking off the speed before unleashing a well timed run.
His resolve is reflected in the fact that he incurred a $200 fine for overuse of the whip before the 100 metre mark.
At the 2014 meeting, Duff’s generous gift was awarded to the then rookie Hannah Phillips.
The Nanango apprentice landed a double with Tornadoes and Glenthorn Avenue to take her career tally to four.
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Kudos To Kumbia Trainer
Despite the onslaught by trainers from Brisbane, Toowoomba, Oakey, Bundaberg and Gympie it was Burrandowan’s nearest neighbours that carried the day.
Kumbia Race Club President Brian Lenihan was tickled pink when Royce Connolly picked up the Northern Agriservices-Teilers Transport Class B Handicap (1050m) with Chamberlain.
“Since he came from Charleville late last year, Royce has been real asset to the club,” Lenihan said.
“He has rolled his sleeves up and done a power of work.”
Chamberlain, a grandson of Redoute’s Choice, has thrived with Connolly.
The three-year-old’s Burrandowan success followed on from wins at Taroom and Chinchilla.
Earlier, the ex-Victorian had four outings for Ben Robinson’s Beaudesert side but his five appearances since coming to the Burnett have generated a fine 3-1-0 form line.
The All American gelding ($8) defied the opinion that a horse needs to be well drawn and well placed to prevail at Burrandowan.
The brown galloper jumped from the extreme outside, was rearward early but really motored home wide out for Melissa Cox to nail Dulcie Tie right on the wire.
Highly praiseworthy efforts were also turned in by Jandowae horseman Geoffrey Schrader and journeyman jockey Pietro Romeo.
The team combined to take the Stanwell-Ken Mills Toyota-McDonalds Kingaroy QTIS Maiden Plate (1175m) and the Combined Business Houses of Kingaroy Patrons Cup (Cl 2, 1175m) with Aklavik ($4.40) and Daisy Pearl ($4.00) respectively.
Chahpingah trainer Tom Moloney’s pair of hopefuls did not enjoy any luck in the latter event.
Seremasa ($15) put in an eye-catching performance to snatch second money while Danish Diction ($16) struck trouble in the early stages.
Toowoomba trainer Donald “Duck” Baker saddled up an impressive winner in Snipstream (Michael Heagney, $2.50 favourite) in the O’Reilly, Nunn, Favier Surveyors-Norco Rural Murgon BM 65 (1050m).
The bay, with genetic endowments from Snippets, Zedative and Kaoru Star, took cover at the tail in the early and middle stages before looming up in threatening style in the run to the home bend.
The sprinter opened its time on the turf with two wins at the Gold Coast last May for the Michael Costa stable, but disappointed in an Ipswich Class 2 at its third start.
After an absence of seven months, the four-year-old finished “fifth of seven” at Ipswich.
There was then another three month hiatus.
In short, Snipstream’s record stands at “one from one” since Baker began applying the polish.
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Bunny Chases The Juciest Of Carrots
The success of Brian “Bunny” Laherty’s charge Machu Picchu in the Battle of the Bush Series leg at Warwick last weekend means that the Nanango training centre will have produced at least three qualifiers across the first two editions of this popular initiative.
Laherty, faced with the task of passing a key eligibility clause with the daughter of Krupt, completed the required five non-TAB runs when the mare finished second at Wondai last month.
Prior to kicking off in Queensland at Nanango twelve months ago, Machu Picchu’s nine outings in New South Wales yielded wins at Cooma and Adaminaby.
Her handicap rating was 51 on arrival.
Going into her Warwick engagement, the mark had climbed to 63.
The bay’s northern haul is a mix of five wins, nine placings and five fourths.
There will be tremendous interest at Lee Park for the sixth day of Battle of the Bush heats on May 25.
Last year’s result there in the $10,000 opportunity saw the Glenn Richardson trained Canid gain a final’s berth.
The veteran joined his stablemate Klammer in the Doomben finale, but unfortunately the duo both drew horrid barrier stalls.
South-eastern aspirants can have another crack at qualifying at Goondiwindi on June 1.
The $125,000 Final is scheduled for Eagle Farm on Tatt’s Tiara Day.
The Moffatdale Ridge Wines Fashion on the Field theme at Nanango will be Fab Furs, Pearls and Braces.
Because it will be the last program for the 2018-19 season, the other fascination will centre around the race for the Jockey and Trainer Premierships and the Horse Of The Year award.
