November 2, 2020
Kumbia, along with any number of Australian racecourses, will soon create a weird record.
On Tuesday, November 3 there will be more patrons witness the Flemington of the Bush’s Cup action than will be the case for the Melbourne Cup itself.
This is a situation nobody would wish for, but it serves as a reminder that relevant COVID-19 prevention requirements will be in play at the South Burnett venue.
Tips for racegoers include the online purchasing of tickets at trybooking.com/BMAJT, which streamlines registrations for contact tracing purposes.
Furthermore, it is wise for folk to bring their own chairs.
Bookings, via (07) 4162-1055, are essential for the 11:00am bus from Kingaroy’s Carrollee Hotel.
The day’s social highlights are the “Dash of Pink” themed Fashion on the Field with categories for Men, Women and Headwear.
The contests support the McGrath Foundation’s Breast Care Nurses: #pinkupyourtown Project.
Dash for Cash races will be staged for two-legged runners of various ages.
More information about the day that celebrates a half century of Melbourne Cup day racing at Kumbia is available by phoning the secretary Wendy Mathews (07) 4163-7200; 0417-717-330 or the president Brian Lenihan (07) 4164-4155.
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The Marvellous Racing Card
The main feature of Tuesday’s meeting is the $10,000 Huston Motors Kumbia Cup (1400m), a race that serves as a qualifier for the $105,000 Country Cups Challenge Final.
The open sprinters will do battle in the $10,000 Country Stampede Qualifier (1000m).
These events are gateways to higher rewards at Doomben on December 5.
The bill also embraces the Jim Lenihan-Helen Smoothy-Win Lenihan Memorial; the Joyce, “Boy” and Jenny Reed Memorial; and a QTIS Maiden Plate.
The Cup, which marks 50 years of Huston Motors’ wonderful sponsorship at Kumbia, has nominations with links to last year’s placegetters.
Hidden Budget, the 2019 hero, was saddled up by Graham Banks.
The Oakey horseman has entered Court Rules this time around.
Although the Court Command gelding faces a class rise following its last start Benchmark 55 success at Warwick, its only outing on the course back in 2017 produced a victory over 900 metres.
Looking for revenge will be Chamberlain, the local contender from Royce Connolly’s stable that went down narrowly 12 months ago.
The gelding by All American has ability.
His nine previous assignments prior to his 2019 Kumbia appearance had yielded six wins and two seconds.
The five-year-old grandson of Redoute’s Choice is well drawn and his last three unplaced efforts were in richer events.
The minor money in the 2019 Kumbia Cup went to the Leeanne McCoy and David Reynolds combination with Pick Of The Pubs.
In this upcoming renewal, Reynolds will be represented by the in-form trio of Rather Salubrious, Red Devil and Crafty Aquila.
The Dalby trainer has six more acceptors for the program.
Darling Downs trainer Matt Kropp is keen to get qualifiers into the Country Cup Challenge Final.
His charge Splitz has a Tuesday assignment in the opportunity at Charleville.
At Kumbia, he will rely on the topweight Scrabble.
The grey by Nom De Jeu may have the final word on the matter.
Recently, the veteran was a sterling third in the $30,000 Warwick Cup that was taken out by his stablemate Rosie Posie.
The wide draw may be offset by the long run from the 1400 metre despatch point to the first bend.
Manias, a lightly raced seven-year-old prepared by Neil Owen at Toowoomba, is also poorly drawn.
The Denman gelding has had just one outing since a four month absence.
If he can reproduce the 2017 form that yielded four Doomben wins from five starts, he will be competitive.
His jockey Ben Moffat, formerly seen on the Sydney provincial circuit, is also on the comeback trail.
His first ride after a break of more than eight years was a winning one on Dis Dah Wun at Toowoomba last weekend.
Bundaberg galloper Daunting Queen is a real trier.
Her 33 chores have harvested 10 wins and 15 placings.
The leg of the Stampede series is sure to see parochial support for a couple of hopefuls.
Eight Over, the topweight from Nanango, is a gallant steed with a defiant attitude.
The Lonhro gelding’s last ten engagements have chalked up six wins and two seconds.
On all but one of those occasions, he has humped more than 60 kilograms
The Tom Moloney trained Diggity has been a sound money spinner for the South Burnett racing identities Bob and Dorothy Black.
The ex-Victorian scored on debut in Queensland in November 2019 in Maiden company at Mount Perry.
Since then the chestnut has added four wins including the last start victory in the Monica Ryan Trophy Class 3 at Wondai on October 17.
Four of the Equiano (Fr) gelding’s six subsequent placings have been at the provincials.
The only time he missed a spot on the podium was when he began awkwardly and lost ground at Bundaberg.
Isabella Teh used her full three kilogram allowance at Wondai, because apprentices cannot claim in the Kumbia Cup.
- Related article: Full Fields For Kumbia Races
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Bits And Bridles
- Kumbia was rated a soft 5 at acceptance time on Friday with a total of 126mm of rain registered for the previous seven days. The course has new horse stalls and an enhanced parade ring.
- Girish Goomany will be a newcomer to the Kumbia jockeys’ room. He began as an apprentice at the academy in Capetown, South Africa before returning home to Mauritius to further his career. In 2018 he worked as a track rider at Tony McEvoy’s South Australian set up.
- Condolences are extended to the family, friends and colleagues of the late Monica Ryan. There was an added sadness at Wondai’s patron free meeting – her annual trophy race was washed out last year and she died before this year’s edition was run and won two weeks ago.
- Ryan contributed four of the seven wins at Wondai on March 24, 1990 when all seven races went to female jockeys. Jo Downes, Debbie Osborne and Jenny Cochrane ensured it was a full sweep.
- Despite being very wide for most of the journey, Mahratta, the son of Equiano (Fr) from Barry Gill’s Gympie yard, put up a sterling performance to collect the Wondai Cup with Robert Faehr as pilot. Great to see Hannah Phillips boot home Oakfield Commanche Phillips for Kaylene and John Hamilton later in proceedings.
Play safe and enjoy being trackside at Kumbia on Tuesday!
