November 1, 2021
If Kitty Kat’s Kitten strikes form in the first race at Kumbia on Tuesday, some lucky punters will have backed the Whittington mare because of the pink silks worn by Hannah Phillips.
The combination took out a Nanango Maiden in February for her owner-trainer Janene Armstrong.
Kumbia’s Cup meeting is again backing the McGrath Foundation’s Pink Up Your Town initiative that provides breast cancer care nurses, and Tuesday’s Fashion Theme is “Splash of Pink”.
Those who prefer a more factual approach to the selection process should note that only a handful of runners have raced at Kumbia before, and just two of these candidates have prevailed there.
One is Craiglea Arion, the Gympie galloper that won its first race after 30 attempts.
The Warhead gelding has since been very successful at various ports of call around the state.
The other contender is Valar Dohaeris, the son of Fast’n’Famous which got its name through the connection of its dam Valar Morghulis to the Game of Thrones television series.
The bay will be saddled up by Geoffrey Schrader, a Jandowae horseman who is usually around the money at Kumbia.
His Rothesay-North to Alaska gelding, that was called Aklavik after a place in Canada’s remote Arctic region, has a second placing to its credit at the “Flemington of the Bush”.
The Huston Motors Kumbia Cup has an international taste courtesy of the Radipole, the Irish born horse that has just joined Rodney Hay’s Taroom string.
The nine-year-old by Rock of Gibraltar (Ire) from the French mare Just Little raced as Justwantacontact when it was in the winner’s circle at Chantilly, Bordeaux, Deauville and Toulouse back in 2016.
Post France, Mike Moroney and then Matthew Smith prepared him for his Australian campaigns that netted a Caulfield win, placings at Flemington and Randwick, a fourth in the 2017 VRC Cantala Stakes (Group One) and a third in the 2018 Ajax Stakes (Group 2) at Rosehill.
The Lenihan, Smoothy, Reed and McConville Memorial Benchmark 50 is also a leg of the Burnett to the Beach Series that involves all of the eleven South East Country Racing Association clubs.
The points based competition kicked off at Eidsvold on October 2, and after a break in February and March, concludes at Bundaberg in May.
The ownership of the top-of-the-table horse is rewarded with $6600 while the leading trainer and jockey pick up $3300 and $1100 respectively.
First time visitors to Kumbia will notice that it is a multi-purpose venue.
Golf greens are visible on the inside just past the winning post and adjacent to the home turn.
Another one is situated just behind the 1400 metre starting point.
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Quick Reminders
Because of the pandemic it’s necessary to book tickets online if you plan to attend Kumbia’s meeting.
Happily, you can also use this facility to donate to #pinkupyourtown and buy programs and platters as well (if not too late).
There are no on-course ATMS and mobile phone reception is problematic.
The South Burnett Window Tinting sponsored Dash for Cash foot races will be staged after the last thoroughbred event.
Bus transport enquiries need to directed to Kingaroy’s Carrollee Hotel on (07) 4162-1055.
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Bits And Bridles
- On October 23 at Toowoomba, Nanango jockey Hannah Richardson booted home A Good Chance for Wondai trainer Neville O’Toole. Female riders scooped up the entire seven event card with doubles to Georgina Cartwright and Angela Jones and singles also to Montanna Savva and Isabella Rabjones. Richardson, who chalked up another victory at Dalby on Saturday with Craiglea Icon, rides at Bundaberg on Tuesday.
- Congratulations to Kingaroy trainer Debra Corbett on her success with Fort Myer at Kilcoy on Friday. No doubt she would love to see the run continue with Midnight Waltz at Kumbia.
- It is very pleasing that sufficient jockeys have signed up to cover requirements at Kumbia. Given the significantly higher than usual number of South East Queensland fixtures on Cup day, it is not easy to have at least a dozen or so riders at a rural track.
- Gladstone’s program has only six booked hoops. Roma’s Cheryl Rogers is both a trainer and a jockey. Her charges Sense of Expense and Twogoboom failed at Dalby but the duo along with Avision are acceptors at both Gladstone and Kumbia.
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Boost For Queensland’s Cup Aspirant
Incentivise, the incredibly hot favourite for the Melbourne Cup, is one of only four runners that were produced in Australia.
Thirteen of the 24 in the line up were born in the Northern hemisphere while seven first saw light of day in New Zealand.
There are similarities between the boom Shamus Award gelding and the 2019 hero Vow and Declare – they both won a Tattersall’s Cup at Eagle Farm before a pre-spring ease up.
This year’s event was over 2400 metres, but two years earlier it was over a 600 metre longer trip.
Vow and Declare warmed up with Cup lead-ups in a Turnbull Stakes (fourth) and a runner-up finish in the Caulfield Cup. Incentivise’s unbeaten schedule was the same except for his first-up triumph in the Makybe Diva Stakes.
A glance at the pedigree of the 2021 pin up that was bred, trained and raced by Steve Tregea reveals a paternal side that oozes with speed. However the all important maternal line is most encouraging.
The dam Miss Arygle dropped three other stakes winners in the shape of sprinters Ardrossan and Cheyenne Warrior with Bergerac securing the 2019 Ipswich Cup.
The great grand-dam Yodells foaled Yippyio, the chestnut whose successes included the Queensland Derby, Brisbane Cup, Moonee Valley Cup, Queen’s Cup and a Craven Plate. He was also runner-up in Brew’s Melbourne Cup place.
The progeny of Incentivise’s great grand-sire Semipalatinsk has three two mile wins on its honours list with Evasion and Easy Now both collecting Queensland Cups and Palatious doing the trick in the 1994 Perth Cup.
Incentivise’s jockey Brett Prebble already has a Melbourne Cup trophy courtesy of Green Moon. The in-form Victorian will be aided by a handy pace for the first section so he can find a desirable spot after jumping from gate 16.
The defending champion Twilight Payment is asked to carry 2.5 kilograms more than last year while the prominent raider Spanish Mission is making its Down Under debut following a series of veterinary inspections.
Persan does represent value. The Australian stayer was an eye catching fifth at 40/1 with 51 kilograms from gate 19 last year. He loves Flemington. His staying prowess may trace to the English notables Mill Reef and Shirley Heights. This time around he has 53 kilograms and barrier 11.
Good luck to all – I’m looking forward to another wonderful Cup day at Kumbia!
- Related article: Full Fields For Kumbia Races (Form Guide)
