MOUNT Isa trainer Denise Ballard had a day to remember at Julia Creek Turf Club with Shantung Boxer taking out Saturday’s rich Cannington Artesian Express.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The four-year old brown gelding was the first to cross the line in the $18,000 Class 2 Handicap (1200 metres) by a length, beating Wayne Crossland-trained Rapid and Philip Miller-trained Reformer.
Ridden by Denise’s husband, evergreen jockey Keith, Shantung Boxer was sent out as the $3.60 favourite before securing victory at its first run since transferring to the North West.
Ballard, who went to school in Julia Creek, also had three other placegetters during the program to add to her feature race win in front of thousands of racegoers at the annual Dirt ’n’ Dust festival.
Ballard said her front-running horse had been preparing solely for the big race.
“I bought him for the race in January,” Ballard said.
“You can only hope though. With new horses you don’t know the form. We’ve had him for a long time and haven’t given him a start before.”
The opening race of the meeting was the 1100-metre Maiden Plate won by James Cairns-trained Transfusion ($3.30), ridden by jockey of the day Aaron Spradau, who pushed ahead of second favourite Ollie Ooba and Ashlen to cross over first by more than a length.
Bowled Over ($4.80) got the job done for Mount Isa trainer Damien Finter in the Class B Handicap (1100m), while Gareth Smith-trained Tabasco Force ($3.50) blew away the field to win the BenchMark 65 Handicap by 2 lengths.
The closing race of the day in the Open Handicap (1350m) was won by Jay Morris-trained The Gallows ($2.25), with Steven Galvin in the saddle, on the nose to Haslington ($4.40).
