WHILE those on properties around McKinlay Shire would have been delighted with the winter rains on Saturday, it did mean some rapid adjusting to get almost a full day of racing at McKinlay’s annual meet.
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In the end they managed to get in four of the six races in despite the weather turning nasty and an injured horse on the track delaying proceedings.
The local race club brought the schedule forward 15 minutes and shortened the time between races so as to try to complete the event before the heaviest downpours later in the day.
As a result many latecomers missed the first race.
Race 1 was the Curly Cattle Transport Maiden Plate over 800 metres.
That race was won by the Grant Wiles’ trained Smart Craft with Steven Galvin aboard, the first leg of a quinella for the pair.
A length behind in second was Lach’s Pocket and third was Yard Glass a further length back.
In Race 2 the OIR Petroleum Benchmark 60 Handicap over 1400 metres the Wiles-Galvin combination struck again.
Their horse Ollie Runs Riot won in a thrilling finish storming across the line ahead of favourite He’s a Magician.
What the Heck finished third.
Race 3 was abandoned to a horse in difficulty on the track.
That meant a delay before the next race.
That race was Race 4 the Linfox BenchMark 45 handicap run over 1000 metres.
Trainer Ray Hermann’s Rapid Qualo was the victor, expertly guided home by jockey Tasha Chambers.
They finished half a length clear of Seth with Flamingo Rose back in third.
The final race of the day was the feature event the South 32 McKinlay Cup Open Handicap over 1800 metres.
Another female jockey stepped forward to claim the honours with a victory for Bonnie Thompson aboard the Damien Finter-trained Mr Peppers.
Show Us A Smile was half a length back in second.
Castle Express finished third a further five lengths behind.
Race 6 was abandoned due to the weather.
The next race meeting in the north west is at Mount Isa on Saturday, June 25.
Derek Barry
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
