IN his popular column, ‘SILKS & SADDLES,’ published by the NORTH QUEENSLAND REGISTER, respected racing writer TERRY BUTTS reports on the untimely and sad end to the racing career of a controversial galloper just when he looked a big chance to win two northern Cups.
He also has a column item on the new sprint star to emerge from Mount Isa; the horrible year that continues for popular jockey Dale Missen; a report on Sunday’s carnival pipe-opener at Cluden and a new set of barrier stalls for the Townsville Turf Club.
Here is the Butts column:
CAREER OVER FOR CONTROVERSIAL GALLOPER ON VERGE OF WINNING TWO CUPS
THERE is little to cheer about in the stable of young Rockhampton trainer, Jared Wehlow, who had hopes of winning the Mackay Cup last week with his recently acquired Prussian Secret – and was already counting the $100,000 Townsville Cup prize-money.
But his dreams all went belly-up in the Mackay Cup when Prussian Secret broke down just when he looked the winner in the straight, and, according to the trainer, will never race again.
Prussian Secret is at the centre of a sensational NSW police investigation and stewards’ Inquiry into an alleged attempt to stomach drench the horse before the Gunnedah Cup in May.
His trainer, Cody Morgan, has been stood down and subsequently sent Prussian Secret to Rockhampton.
To date the inquiry has been nothing but sensationalistic headlines and innuendo, with little or no evidence forthcoming that the horse had been given a milkshake, or that it was an intention to do so
What we do know is that the coppers, under some extraordinary new legislation in NSW, raided the stable where Morgan was a visitor and placed him in a cell at Tamworth police station. It happened two days after Morgan had been released from hospital after major leg surgery.
DISMAL YEAR CONTINUES AS MISSEN BATTLES TO CLEAR HIS NAME
MISSING from the northern carnival this year is leading bush jockey Dale Missen.
It has been an ordinary 12 months for the former Mackay-based rider who is still fighting a disqualification charge that was heard three weeks ago by QCAT.
Meanwhile, Missen is free to ride on a stay while he awaits the appeal result, which many believe will favor him.
But that’s not the reason he was missing from Mackay last week.
He had a fall while helping trainer Les Ross with a youngster and hurt his neck.
Missen is hopeful of an early return to the saddle and that includes the Townsville carnival where he has been very successful in recent years.
Missen is adamant he is innocent of the charge.
The stewards tried to change to a lesser charge at the QCAT appeal but it was disallowed.
And it might be worth noting the horse Missen was charged over hasn’t fired in five subsequent starts.
ALSO creating much interest is the adjourned inquiry into Chris Whiteley’s ride on rank outsider Dahara Prize in the Mackay Newmarket last Thursday.
Betting sheets (the horse was a 100/1 outsider) have been summoned by stewards and a date has yet to be set for the continuation of the inquiry.
ALBERTIQUE THE LATEST SPRINT STAR TO EMERGE FROM MT ISA
THE winter carnival dominance of the Mt Isa based sprinters continued at Cluden last Sunday when the flying Albertique lived up to the constant and confident support by his backers to win the Talbot Heatley Lightning.
Albertique, a former Melbourne sprinter, has now won five of his last six starts for trainer Stephen Royes and they reckon out west that he is the fastest horse since Prospective Chief, which was virtually unbeatable in the nineties over the short course.
On Sunday, at the very cramped odds of $3, he missed the start slightly – as he often does – but luckily was able to muster enough speed along the fence to hold his rails position.
Albertique then withstood a determined bid by Mazurka and his old Mt Isa foe, Jabiru Dreaming, which was chasing a repeat win in the prestigious sprint.
But what about Adrian Coome?
He has been aboard the champion Rockhampton sprinter, Our Boy Malarchi, in most of his nine wins that included the Rocky Newmarket last month. The horse was heading to the Cleveland Bay but the campaign was aborted and he is in the paddock.
Meantime, Coome has jumped straight on to the back of Albertique and already the combination is being hailed as the winner.
Last week’s Mackay Newmarket winner Lexcen and runner-up Essington will make it very interesting however.
Lexcen improved 20 lengths on his first-up failure at Ooralea to win from an unlucky Essington which was truly gallant under his big weight.
The Cleveland Bay to be run on July 27, has long been rated as the greatest race in the north and this year it is promising to one of the very best.
NEW TOWNSVILLE BARRIER STALLS A ‘GODSEND’ ACCORDING TO CEO
WHILE a few the northern clubs make do with their rusting age old barrier stalls, the Townsville Turf Club is about to showcase its brand new $140,000 set at Cluden. These will be used for the first time on July 16.
But the old set – which is 15 years young – will not be off-loaded to Innisfail or Gordonvale. These will stay as a reserve because Racing Queensland has deemed that TAB clubs must have a second bank of barriers – just in case.
The new Townsville bank of barriers is exactly the same as the set Ipswich received just in time for its Cup meeting last month, and according to Townsville CEO Michael Charge they are a ‘godsend’.
“We have been patching up the old ones and spending a small fortune on their m maintenance for years,” Charge said.
“I realize money is tight in the industry but it’s vital to have reliable and efficient equipment.
“All we need now is a new track and on course stables,” said the CEO, tongue firmly in cheek, of course.
THE METEORIC RUN OF SUCCESS CONTINUES FOR BAUMANN STABLE
THERE are grins aplenty at the stable of Kerry Baumann who has two very smart gallopers in Ladretto and Sunday’s J.S. Love Memorial winner, Strato Mostro, which between them have won seven races in the past month.
Kerry, a former harness racing identity now has a genuine Cup chance with Strato Mostro which has made a meteoric rise through the classes since coming from the south. He overcame difficulties to win most convincingly on Sunday and continue an exceptional run of luck for hard-working jockey Graham Kliese.
COLUMN COURTESY OF TERRY BUTTS AND THE NORTH QUEENSLAND REGISTER, one of Australia's leading rural newspapers.
TERRY BUTTS can be contacted by e-mailing: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
