Latest news with #Mackay Cup
News.com.au
09-08-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Hobby trainer John Dann savours last-to-first Townsville Cup triumph
Toowoomba hobby trainer John Dann produced a Queensland winter carnival wonder and ventured further north to be the king of Townsville on Saturday. Dann's gelding Quothquan stormed home from last to produce a monster win in the $150,000 Townsville Cup, scoring revenge after having a luckless run in the Mackay Cup a fortnight earlier. Quothquan had been trapped wide in the Mackay Cup and Dann feared the six-year-old might have his work cut out again in the Townsville Cup from a double-digit barrier. Former Kiwi hoop Dylan Turner had Quothquan back last, but some of his rivals were speeding along up front and it gave him his chance to swoop over the top of them. Dann only has a handful of horses and he juggles that with operating a successful truck repair and services company which has 100 employees. He has enjoyed a year to remember with his horses, having fairytale mare Adiella score the $500,000 Magic Millions National Classic at Eagle Farm during the winter carnival. Adiella then had a major setback and is now recovering from a nasty staph infection and she will not be seen again at the races until next year. But Quothquan's dominant two-length Townsville Cup romp put a wide smile on Dann's face. 'It wasn't our plan to be that far back,' Dann said. 'But they were cracking along up front and going fast and when he was that far off them, it probably suited him. 'Dylan let him slide and he was doing it under his own steam and he won easily. 'I got Dylan to ride because he has the same manager as Cobi Vitler who I use a bit. 'He rode the horse really well and it was a terrific result for us.' It's Quothquan right down the outside in the 2025 Townsville Cup! ðŸ�† @RaceQLD â€' SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) August 9, 2025 Quothquan started $6.50 and zoomed home over Sir Grace ($8.50) and Smart Legend ($6.50) as $5 favourite Beau Rain finished a disappointing 13th in the 2000m Cup. In the Magic Millions Townsville Guineas QTIS 4YO Handicap (1609m), Smart Mission was strongly backed to be $3.40 favourite but threw it all away at the start when he tried to buck jump. Jockey Lacey Morrison was lucky to stay in the saddle and somehow managed to settle the gelding back in the field but was left with far too much work to do to be a factor in the final stages. Meanwhile, Mackay galloper Obligated ($9.50) unleashed a powerful run in the straight and won easily under jockey Ash Butler. Lyle Wright-trained Obligated had made his name winning over nippy sprint trips, but found the mile of the Guineas was no issue. In the sprint feature, the $100,000 Cleveland Bay, Speed Legend left it until the final strides to get home over the top of Cherry Rose as two of the favoured runners fought out the finish.
News.com.au
07-08-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Will Hulbert seeks redemption in Townsville Cup after Mackay Cup disappointment
Will Hulbert was kicking stones after the unplaced run of his Mackay Cup favourite. Quite literally. Brisbane trainer Hulbert was so dark on how the race panned out, he set off on foot across some local cane fields and walked much of the way to Mackay Airport. He wasn't in much of a mood for company. Kipling's Journey, a stable stalwart who has won almost $300,000 in prizemoney, had missed the kick and was then hunted forward but was taken on and spent too many petrol tickets to be a force in the final stages of the 2000m race. But Hulbert, who co-trains with dad Peter, said Saturday's $150,000 Townsville Cup (2000m) represents a strong chance for redemption. After competing in both the Rockhampton and Mackay Cups, and giving the Townsville Cup a crack on Saturday, it is likely Kipling's Journey will keep winding his way north for a Cairns Cup mission later this month. But first things first. 'After the Mackay Cup, I didn't want to see anyone and the surcharges on Ubers were through the roof, so I just started walking towards the airport,' Hulbert said. 'I walked through a sugar cane field, felt my hamstring tightening up and arrived at the airport with my phone about to die which wasn't ideal as it had my plane ticket on it. 'Hopefully Townsville is a better experience on Saturday. 'The horse pulled up well from his run in Mackay and he had a good gallop on Monday morning. 'We finished fourth in Rocky and fifth in Mackay so hopefully he will win the next two ones in Townsville and Cairns.' Ahead of the Townsville Cup, Hulbert is adamant he wants jockey Adin Thompson to seek cover on Kipling's Journey. He insists he doesn't have to lead. 'Over shorter trips he leads, but once he is up to this sort of trip he needs to be ridden with cover,' Hulbert said. 'To be honest, if the horse relaxed a bit better I think he would run even further than this.' Kipling's Journey has drawn barrier nine in the Townsville Cup field which will have 16 starters.
