It’s one of the biggest days in the Mount Isa racing calendar and Mount Isa Cup Day did not disappoint with a large crowd at Buchanan Park witnessing a day of thrills, spills and drama.
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In a six race card punters had to patiently wait until the final race of the day for the big one and it proved to be worth the wait for the Mount Isa City Council Mount Isa Cup Open Handicap worth $20,000.
The 1700m distance meant grandstand fans had an up close view of the stalls where the drama started with not one but two false starts as horses burst through the starting gates.
The delays proved too much for hot favourite Chestnut Road which had to be scratched at the start.
The delays proved too much for hot favourite Chestnut Road which had to be scratched at the start.
If trainer Steven Royes was disappointed with that he was soon smiling again as his second horse Anymore with Jason Babarovich aboard held off the challenge of Split the Atom to win by a neck.
Earlier in the day the $3 favourite Born to Fire living up to his name and betting by winning the 1000m Race 1 Good Luck Galea Warrior Ratings Band 0-50 Handicap for trainer Shryn Gabriel-Royes and jockey David Sparks ahead of Tidal Rip and Crystal Bear.
See our gallery of photos from the day here.
The favourite shone again in Race 2 Sunset Butchery / Cava Hydraulics QTIS Maiden Plate over 1200m with Abba Original winning for trainer Kerry Krogh and jockey Tim Brummell.
Seven lengths behind in second was Kawana Viva with Nitro City third.
Trainer Tanya Parry and jockey Dan Ballard combined to win Race 3 Mount Isa Mining Supplies Benchmark 60 Handicap over 1200m.
Their horse Wicked Wiki was three and a half lengths clear of Mandalong Pass and I’m Desperate Too.
In Race 4 the Isa Hotel / Red Earth Boutique Coppermart Open Quality Handicap over 1200m there was another thrilling finish as Bob Burow’s Anchor Chain with Steven Galvin aboard pipped the Ballards’ chance Bowie Rocks by three quarters of a length with Galea Warrior back in third.
In Race 5 the Brown Brothers Wines Benchmark 60 Handicap over 1450m, Jason Babarovich got the first leg of his quinella leading Kiwi raider Target Strike to victory by a length from Alluder.
Wulfwin finished third.
Racing moves to Richmond this weekend.