Barcaldine trained six-year-old gelding Secrets lived up to his potential on Saturday, October 6 by winning a hotly contested Barcoo Shire Jundah Cup Open Handicap 1400metres.
Ridden by Roy ‘Butch’ Mules Secrets lived up to his jockey’s faith in him by coming with a storming finish 200 metres from home to snatch victory away from gallant front runner Known Prospect to win on the line with Dual Echelon making up plenty of ground late for third.
After some dominant wins in August, Secrets was sent on a campaign to contest the Betoota, Birdsville and Bedourie Cups in which he ran fifth in all races. Butch Mules said in a post race interview that he always felt there was a cup’s win in the horse but that it was important to get the horse out at the right time in the straight so he would finish his race off fully.
Mules was able to time his run to perfection on Saturday as he extracted Secrets from behind the leader with 200 metres to go and drove him hard to the line to edge past Known Prospect who had set a blistering pace throughout the race and fought hard all the way to the line.
Dual Echelon showed a good return to form with his finishing run into third. Secrets has now won 12 races and over $105,000 in prizemoney in his career. The race was run in a track record time of 1.22.03 smashing the previous record of 1:23:95 held by Bravest of All which had been also broken in the previous race to the Cup.
Close finishes and fast times were the order of the day in the other races on the program.
The Graham Maunsell (Hilly) Maiden Plate 1000metres set the tone for the day when David Rewald bounced back to winning form on outsider Fittipaldi.
Starting at $8, Fittipaldi was driven along the rails in the straight by Rewald to get home by a short neck over Pohaku with Cicerao Mountain a length away third. Rewald made good use of the rails turning for home as the leaders drifted wider on the track and it made the difference at the finish. The winner recorded a smart 57.52 for the 1000metres.
The Godsell Memorial Benchmark 65 Handicap 1000metres saw the emergence of a potential, provincial class horse in five-year-old Sequalo mare Spirit of Sarah owned by Barcaldine Race Club President Gerry Fogarty.
Ridden by Butch Mules for trainer Todd Austin, Spirit Of Sarah showed good speed to lead a good quality field and settled beautifully in the race when challenged for the lead along the back straight and although running wide in the straight fought back to defeat Blitzed by a neck with No Other Way coming home well for third.
Butch Mules commented after the race that the mare should have won by a much bigger margin if she had handled the tight turning track better and felt the best will be seen from her on bigger tracks.
Considering this mare has had two years away from the track due to injury it is a credit to the skills and patience of trainer and owner to have her record her third win from four starts this campaign and run a sensational 56.53 breaking the previous track record of 57 held by Da Vanti.
Brisbane based jockey Cecily Eaton ventured to Jundah on Saturday for the first time and was rewarded with a classy, winning ride on Richard Simpson trained Yannicki in the G&D Ballard/D & J Champion/Brown & Hurley/O’Briens Garage Class B Handicap 1200 metres.
Yannicki has always shown potential but hasn’t always finished his races off strongly hence his previous record of only one win from 16 starts.However Cecily was able to get a good position early in the race behind the leaders and waited patiently until the turn where the gap appeared on the rails.
She drove Yannicki hard to the line and in a thrilling five horse finish prevailed by a neck from dead heaters Lordly and Wallaringa with Epic Dancer the closest of fourths. The manner in which Yannicki fought out the finish shows this galloper can win more races.
Although it was Cecily’s first trip to Jundah it was interesting to discover she started her riding career as an apprentice for Peter Moody and actually rode at Longreach for her first day of race riding.
Trainer Kevin Birse and the owners of Surrounded By Sin were rewarded for their patience with the injury plagued galloper winning the Mary Hall Memorial QTIS Class 3 Plate 1400 metres in a most convincing fashion.
Surrounded By Sin dominated the race winning by two and a quarter lengths from Tatyoon with Electronic Bee a further half length away third.
This win followed his win in Tambo last Sunday and based on David Rewald’s glowing post race comments it appears the gelding may be over his injuries and ready to fulfil his potential and win through to open company.
Rewald further commented that Surrounded By Sin should run a strong 1600 metres in future.
Runners to follow out of the meeting are Spirit Of Sarah, Surrounded By Sin and Dual Echelon.
Some of these gallopers may head to Emerald for their huge Emerald 100 Race Day on Saturday, October 13.
Story by Rob Luck
