A small but enthusiastic crowd of punters enjoyed an unexpected day at the races in Mount Isa on the weekend.
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Saturday’s race meet was supposed to be held in Hughenden but heavy rain put paid to that and the meet was held in Mount Isa instead.
The five-race card was exactly what was planned for Hughenden as Mount Isa put on perfect weather for the occasion.
In race 1 the Maiden Plate over 900 metres, barely two lengths separated the first five horses in a grandstand finish.
The $26 outside Miss Beaujolais caused a surprise winning the race for trainer Tanya Parry and jockey Katariina Aho.
Second was Schooner with Matthew Hart aboard and third was another Parry horse Lucky Apache ridden by Jason Babarovich.
Race 2 was the Benchmark 60 Handicap also over 900 metres and Aaron Spradau steered home Mossale for local trainer Bob Burow to win in another close finish from World of Pain for jockey Matthew Hart’s second second-place.
Kerry Krogh’s horse Tara Ironwood was third.
In Race 3 the Class B Handicap over the slightly longer 1000 metres jockey Tasha Chambers took out the honours as she rode Bea Bingle to victory for trainer George Tipping.
Steven Galvin on Happy To Be Here was second and Akheilos finished third.
Race 4 was the Open Handicap over 1000 metres contested by a field of seven.
Jockey Terrence Hill gave Julia Creek-based trainer Tanya Parry her second win of the day riding Court Action to victory ahead of favourite Avalanches with Forewarned back in third place.
In Race 5 the Benchmark 55 Handicap over 1200 metres the Terrence Hill-Tanya Parry partnership struck again to claim a last two races quinella.
It was a bad day all round for favourites with this race’s favourite the Denise Ballard trained Bush Lawyer with son Dan Ballard aboard, edged out in second place by a narrow margin.
In Race 5 the Benchmark 55 Handicap over 1200 metres the Terrence Hill-Tanya Parry partnership struck again to claim a last two races quinella.
Tim Brummell rode Kerry Krogh’s Romanticize to finish third.
This coming weekend there is a race meet at Julia Creek.