Birdsville races could be set for a Jolly time this year.
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Group 1 trainer David Jolly has confirmed he will field a starter in this year's Birdsville Races.
For the first time in his career, Jolly and his team will make the 2400 kilometre return trek to compete in the Cup, with five year-old gelding Fulton Street and jockey Terry Treichel in the big race.
Treichel knows the Birdsville racetrack, and is hoping to go one better than last year.
In 2018 he rode Boggoms finished runner-up to Blue Jest, in the Birdsville Cup.
Trainer Jolly said he wanted to do the Birdsville Races for a long time.
"Fulton Street trialled well yesterday, and that was the final confirmation we needed to pack our bags for Birdsville. We're looking forward to the Races and are hoping we can have a good tilt at taking home the Birdsville Cup," he said.
Gary Brook, Vice President of the Birdsville Race Club said Fulton Street was a contender based on his form.
"It's great to have a trainer of David's calibre coming to the Birdsville Races," Mr Brook said.
It's great to have a trainer of David's calibre coming
South Australian-based Jolly is on track for a stellar spring racing season, with another charge Behemoth set to race in the new $7.5M Golden Eagle at Rosehill in November.
Jolly's stables are located on the undulating coastline and rolling sands of Goolwa in South Australia - a training ground that has primed Fulton Street to gallop on sand.
Jolly believes that Fulton Street's experience on the dirt will hold him in good stead for the red desert sands of the Birdsville Racetrack.
The news of Jolly's plans to race Fulton Street in Birdsville follows a newly announced partnership between the Birdsville Race Club and TAB that sees TAB become the naming rights sponsor for the 2019 Birdsville Cup, following their inaugural sponsorship of the race in 2018.
The deal follows a move earlier this year from Racing Queensland to expand Queensland country TAB offerings, which now sees the 2019 Birdsville Races become a fully funded country TAB meet for the first time in the event's 137-year history.
Punters across Australia will also be able to experience the excitement of the Birdsville Races from the comfort of their own homes in a telecast deal with Sky Racing.
The partnership will see the carnival's full 13-race line-up televised into homes nationally via Sky Racing.
The Birdsville Races are on September 6 and 7.
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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.
