Tony McMahon calls collect in ‘his Cup’ with brave Mamselle Corday
LONG-TIME Central Queensland broadcaster Tony McMahon had one of his greatest thrills when he was able to win as a trainer the same race he called 16 times in Saturday’s $100,000 Rockhampton Cup.
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LONG-TIME Central Queensland broadcaster Tony McMahon had one of his greatest thrills when he was able to win as a trainer the same race he called 16 times in Saturday’s $100,000 Rockhampton Cup.
Mamselle Corday led throughout under jockey Les “Bubba’’ Tilley and prevailed over a swarm of pursuers to win her 10th race at start No. 48.
The rising seven-year-old found some admirers in betting, firming from a top fluctuation of $31 to start $21.
“It’s a wonderful thrill,” McMahon said.
“You dream of this. Winning your home city Cup. I called 16 Rockhampton Cups, but I couldn’t have called this one.
“We bought her as a yearling. One bid, $5000 at Magic Millions. I only train fillies. I’m very fortunate, my wife Jean syndicates them all to friends and you can see they are all very happy.”
McMahon said his plan was to ride Mamselle Corday back in the field but he changed tactics with the wet track and the pattern playing towards those on pace and close to the fence.
“She’s very hard to beat when she gets to the front. Originally we were going to go back, but with the wet track she had to go to the front,” he said.
Last year’s winner Colour Charge stuck his nose out for second, just in front of the heavily backed Balboa Rocks ($2.80-$2.60).
Cantbuybetter was fourth and failed to get into the placings after stewards dismissed an objection against the winner.
Stewards said the interference suffered was “minor” and not enough to reverse the length-and-a-quarter margin.
LANI STEPS UP TO THE NEXT LEVEL IN STYLE
LANI Fancourt rode her first winner as a senior when My Girl Hayley lasted to win the 1050m Open Handicap.
“I feel about 10 years older since I’ve come out of my time. It’s nice to get that first winner on the board,” Fancourt said.
Fancourt made it a winning double when Brains took out the penultimate event of the carnival.
In addition to winning the trainers bonus and three races over the two days at Rockhampton, Tony Gollan watched on closely as his talented Shesees Everything and Miss Exfactor ran the quinella in the 3YO Open Handicap at Doomben.
“Both of them are headed to stakes races,” Gollan said.
“I told the owners of Shesees Everything she would be a good candidate for a race like the Magic Millions F & M (in 2019) after she ran second in the MM Maiden this year.
“It was just a matter of how we get there, so I need to pick my way through the grades and get her rating up.
“I timed her prep to come in after the carnival, hopefully win a few races and then be able to give her another break leading into the summer carnival.
“There’s a string of good fillies and mares races in the summer and I think both of them are good enough to be very competitive in them.”
Gollan said Miss Exfactor should have lost no admirers after sitting three wide on a hot pace and still giving a kick under 58kg.
GOLLAN‘S EFFORTS FINALLY BEAR UTE
AFTER a tense final day of pendulum swings at Rockhampton, trainer Tony Gollan emerged victorious last night in the battle to win a $30,000 Mitsubishi Triton.
Gollan finished the carnival on 12 points, with three wins, a second and third, to overhaul Ben Currie and Lindsay Hatch (10 points each).
“There’s been a good bit of banter over the last three days between all of us,” Gollan said.
“We all get along really well and it’s been a great incentive by the club to get the southern trainers here.
“The club canvassed us some time ago and I congratulate them on what they’ve been able to put together, with the help of the Tropical Auto Group. I worked out a month ago which horses I wanted to bring up here.
“I brought midweek standard horses up here. It’s good money they are racing for and it’s nice that the owners have been rewarded.
“I’ve had horses race here previously, but this is the first time I’ve actually been at the carnival and I’ve really enjoyed it here.”
This is the second big trainers’ bonus Gollan has won this season, having collected $50,000 for being the leading trainer of the summer carnival.
A terrific battle for the prize unfolded as the afternoon progressed.
Hatch and Tom Button went into yesterday sharing top billing after the opening day on Friday, before they were joined by Currie and Lyle Rowe after the first two events.
Local trainer Jared Whelow then took the lead when Worthy Hero lumped 62½kg to success in the third event.
Currie hit the front for the first time when Shakira won the fourth event on the card and from that point, it was a race-to-race battle right down to the final event.
Gollan’s wins with My Girl Hayley and Brains, along with the second-placed effort of Ignite The Light, were enough to get him home.
All three trainers in the running struck blanks in the final race of the carnival, the Rockhampton Cup.
Currie’s rider Brad Pengelly protested on fourth-placed Cantbuybetter, but even if the objection was upheld, it would not have changed the result of the trainers bonus.
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