DENISE Ballard trained three winners in a row at the Mount Isa Spring Races on Saturday.
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It was comforting for the trainer, who like most others in the local racing industry was having a “dry spell” of wins. It’s an ironic phrase considering it was caused by wet weather.
“It’s a bloody big relief for me,” Ballard said.
Rain had interfered with racing, particularly by the cancellation of Winton’s race meet the weekend previous, and with rain preventing many horses getting into Birdsville early this month.
Ballard’s racehorses claimed the two Lord Derby Stakes races, which had been split into two to accommodate the large number of nominations, and the Les Huddy Memorial Bracelet.
Chasing The Dragon won the second Lord Derby Stakes, having been jockeyed by Ballard’s son Dan. The recent acquisition for the Ballard stables was an investment bought from Ipswich for the ill-fated Birdsville Races.
The Ballards were in Bedourie when cut off from Birdsville due to flooding, but Chasing The Dragon was able to earn its keep on Saturday.
The Lord Derby was intended to be its next race anyway, Ballard said. It beat second placer Duke’s Delight, trained by George Tipping, by 3.8 lengths.
Race caller James Coghlan correctly predicted it would come down to these two bookies’ favourites, but had wondered how Chasing The Dragon was going to go in the North West’s dirt – a challenge for many a racehorse from South East Queensland.
Her winner in the Les Huddy Memorial was Murrumbidgee, ridden by Tamara Tincknell, ahead of her own Travel in Style by 2.3 lengths.
It's a bloody big relief for me.
- Denise Ballard
The first Lord Derby was won by Regal Conserve, also jockeyed by D. Ballard.
But Ballard did not do so well in the last race of the day; the 1450 metre Spring Cup. Husband Keith Ballard rode Isle Be Ready, which placed sixth.
It was Steven Royes who got the last laugh with Golden Meteor. His other acceptances Albertique and On A Shining Star were at the back of the Les Huddy Memorial, and one of the Lord Derbys.
Golden Meteor was jockeyed by Louise Dillon, who until the Spring Cup looked to be having her first meet in the North West this month without riding a winner.
The bookies’ favourite started at $1.85. It was six lengths ahead of Bob Burow’s Mossale, which at $11 was much further back on the list of starting prices .