Cairns Newmarket: Victory just what the Doctor ordered
What started over a bottle of red wine turned into a celebration with several for connections of Doctor Zous after the six-year-old scored one of the most significant wins of his career in the $75,000 Cairns Newmarket (1400m).
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What started over a bottle of red wine turned into a celebration with several for connections of Doctor Zous after the six-year-old scored one of the most significant wins of his career in the $75,000 Cairns Newmarket (1400m).
Doctor Zous took a forward position in the run before being set alight by jockey Nathan Day upon turning for home in the main feature race at Cannon Park on Saturday.
The Zoustar gelding justified his $2.60 favouritism as he burst down the middle of the straight and swallowed up race leader Langhro on his way to an emphatic victory.
Part-owner Mark Von Senden, who grew up in Cairns, couldn’t hide his excitement in the mounting yard after the race.
“I bought this horse on the Inglis online sales just with the idea to race him with a few good friends – and here we are,” he said.
“We won the Rocky Newmarket last year and we ran second in his last start in the Cleveland Bay, so to win this race – this is my home town – I’m absolutely rapt.
“I live in Ingham but was born and raised in Cairns, so I still call this place home.
“To win this is just overwhelming for me.”
When asked what initially drew him to the horse when perusing the online sales, Von Senden said: “A bottle of red wine, actually.”
“A great mate of mine, Mark Riley, pointed this horse out, and me and him look at horses all the time.
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“I did some homework and had a chat to (previous trainer) Bjorn Baker and bought the horse online, then I rang my best mate here, Darryl Hansen, and he was more than happy to train him.”
For Hansen, who has been a regular visitor to the Northern Queensland Winter Racing Carnival over the past 20 years, the win adds a missing trophy to his cabinet.
The Caloundra-based trainer has won four Rockhampton Newmarkets, a Mackay Cup, a Townsville Cup, and can now add a Cairns Newmarket to the list.
“We kind of set him for the Cleveland Bay and this race here,” he said.
“Obviously he was second in the Cleveland Bay, and then to win this is just a great feat for the horse. (I’m) really happy with him.”
Doctor Zous showed plenty of ability when second in the Cleveland Bay Handicap at Cluden Park earlier this month, despite jumping from the carpark in barrier 18.
“The horse is a trier,” Von Senden said.
“He tries his guts out every start and I’m just absolutely over the moon by the way that he’s been going.
“He keeps getting better with age – we’ll be back next year, I reckon.”
But, before then, trainer Hansen and connections of Doctor Zous will return to Cannon Park in three weeks time to contest the Cairns Amateurs Sprint (1400m).
Hansen hoped Day, who has ridden the gelding in its past two starts, would be available on the day.
“His ride was excellent (on Saturday) and he rides him great, so hopefully he can ride him again in the Amateurs Sprint,” Hansen said.
Cairns trainer Stephen Massingham snagged an early treble on Saturday, winning three of the first four races on the card with Swan Cap, Olindo and Rigel.
Originally published as Cairns Newmarket: Victory just what the Doctor ordered
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