It had been a quiet day on the track for Dan Ballard on Saturday but he came up trumps in the final race to win the Mount Isa Hotel Spring Cup (1450m).
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He steered $1.40 favourite Deadly Choices to victory by a length from Recalculate and Rock Tsar to take the honours.
The race was also a qualifier for the Country Cups challenge and will now race in the $105,000 final over 1600m in Doomben on November 30.
Earlier in the day, Rhiannon Payne rode Bob Burow's Star Singer to victory in Race 1 the Steejo Press QTIS Maiden Plate (1000m) from King's Fling and Mahoney.
Keith Ballard rode Lady Chicago for Tanya Parry to win Race 2 Trevor Morris Builders Benchmark 50 Handicap (1000m) by two lengths from Captain's Pick and Seriously Happy.
That was followed by a Jason Babarovich double double.
SEE ALSO: Photos from the day
In Race 3 the Colonial Supermarket Benchmark 69 Handicap (1000m) Babarovich rode his own horse Safdie to victory by almost four lengths from Slithering Suzie and Wicked Wiki.
In Race 4 the Cava Lord Derby Stakes Class 3 Plate (1200m) he again saddled up one of his own-trained horses Bold Sam and the $5 shot survived a protest to win by one and a quarter lengths from Brave Jewel and Alik.
Racing moves to Cloncurry for its Spring Cup this weekend with the winner also qualifying for the Doomben Country Cups Challenge race.
READ ALSO: Mount Isa Rodeo Series final returns
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