Bush veteran Four Iron notches more wins this season than any other Australian racehorse

IF YOU think Jason Day’s four iron travels a long way, think again. It is nothing compared to Queensland galloper Four Iron who has become the Winx of the bush.

Ben Dorries@dorries_cmail

2 min read

July 20, 2016 - 5:52PM

Trainer/jockey David Rewald returns on Four Iron after a win at Roma.

IF YOU think Jason Day’s four iron travels a long way, think again.

It is nothing compared to Queensland galloper Four Iron who has become the Winx of the bush with more wins this season than any Australian racehorse.

Four Iron, both trained and ridden by Blackall horseman David Rewald, has travelled from Barcaldine to Birdsville and just about every bush track in between to score 10 wins this season.

That is two more than his nearest Australian rival and three more than champion Cox Plate-winning superstar mare Winx.

Mind you, Winx has won more than $5.62 million in prize money for her seven wins this season while Four Iron has collected $74,650.

Every win has been a thrill for 55-year-old Rewald who is one of the few trainer-jockeys in Queensland.

“We got this tough old horse from where he was racing in Toowoomba and we have had a hell of a lot of fun with him,” Rewald said. “I live on about 14 acres in Blackall and this horse just loves playing around in the paddocks. I really think the life in the bush agrees with him.

“He is just about to turn nine but I am going to keep racing him because he is happy and sound and he doesn’t really like having a spell.

“He is one of those rare horses who handles all different types of bush tracks.”

Four Iron bursts through to win at Bedourie. Picture: Ann Britton Outback Photography

In his 25 starts this season, Four Iron hasn’t run on a grass track.

While Winx has won Group 1s on hallowed turf at Moonee Valley and Randwick, Four Iron has been first past the post on dirt and sand tracks at Tambo, Bedourie, Blackall, Roma, Barcaldine and Charleville.

Rewald has been a jockey for 40 years and is thankful he obtained his trainer’s licence three years ago to extend his career in the industry.

Four Iron has taken him far and wide in the Queensland bush, including Betoota, which has been officially designated as Australia’s smallest town.

Betoota’s last permanent resident died in 2004 and the Channel Country town west of Windorah now only has a racetrack, an airstrip and a cricket field.

Mighty mare Winx scored seven straight wins this season. Picture: Jenny Evans

“It’s been one of my most successful years in the industry and Four Iron has had a lot to do with that,” Rewald said. “I’ve raced him at a lot of places and I think he loves the travelling around the bush as much as I do.

“His best win this season was probably at Charleville because he carried 63kg that day and he had to come from nearly last.”

FOUR IRON — 79 starts; 19 wins, 17 2nds, 15 3rds. Prizemoney: $194,200

MOST WINS THIS SEASON

Rank — Horse — wins — prizemoney

1 — FOUR IRON — 10 — $74,650

2 — Finke — 8 — $221,090

3 — Craiglea Wandoo — 8 — $130,550

4 — Fastnet Flyer — 8 — $119,495

5 — WINX — 7 — $5,627,500

6 — Malaguerra — 7 — $655,500

7 — Wink And A Nod — 7 — $576,000

8 — Clearly Innocent — 7 — $508,375