David Gilbert
THE thrill of Runbro’s victory in last month’s Nhill Cup has been soured somewhat.
At only his second run this preparation, the Belinda O’Loughlin trained gelding produced the goods to win his second cup for 2022 and his connections were looking forward to a successful 2023 summer cups campaign.
“He did a tendon and has been retired,” stable spokesman Geoff O’Loughlin stated.
“Runbro is currently doing rehab and we will find a good home for him”
Meanwhile, the form guides have not shown the name G. O’Loughlin as a rider for a while.
“I’m too fat,” was O’Loughlin’s honest assessment, adding that his weight is currently around 62 kilograms, which means he is basically restricted to riding track work.
And, while it is the end of the road for Runbro, there is plenty of activity around the O’Loughlin stable at present.
“We have a heap of youngsters coming through, about 8-10 unraced ones and a couple of those are making their race debut at Penola this week (yesterday).”
WILL ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED
LIMESTONE Coast racing – and especially the Naracoorte Racing Club – lost one of its biggest supporters with the passing recently of Bob McKay.
The funeral for the Naracoorte-based McKay, formerly a grazier from Lucindale, was conducted at the Naracoorte racecourse and was attended by about 250 people.
Former race caller and now racing media man Terry McAuliffe provided a phantom race call of some of the horses raced by McKay as the courtage made its way up the home straight of the racecourse.
“The family were keen to have the service at the racecourse and we obliged for what was a fitting tribute to Bob,” Naracoorte Racing Club president Glen Hamlyn said.
A well known horse breeder and owner, McKay was a regular face on local racecourses and was always keen for a chat over a drink or two.
He was the biggest owner for many years for the Michael O’Leary stable and the Naracoorte club has had, in my opinion, no greater statesman in the past 30 years.
McKay served on the Naracoorte Racing Club committee for over 20 years and was president for around five years.
He always loved the Naracoorte cup calcutta on cup eve and a big calcutta pool was always guaranteed as he was never backward in bidding for – and buying – a horse, moreso if it was one of his own.
McKay once donated a young horse to the Naracoorte club which was duly raffled.
Meanwhile, another Naracoorte racing identity in Ken Wagner also passed away recently.
A former shearer who bred a couple of successful horses, Wagner for many years never missed a race meeting anywhere in the South East until failing health intervened.
Those not-so-young local harness racing fans may also recall Brian Butson, a driver, trainer and committeeman of the Mount Gambier club, who died last week aged 78 years.
Butson moved from Mount Gambier many years ago and died in Gawler.
His funeral service will be held today at Murray Bridge.
WELL WORTH THE TRIP
ALTHOUGH her father Wayne did not have any runners, local jockey Kate Walters made the trip to Warrnambool last Sunday for three rides.
It proved to be a worthwhile exercise as Walters was successful aboard Millennial Girl ($8) for Warrnambool trainer Shayne Fisher in the 1200-metre BM 64 handicap.
The six-year-old mare had not won a race since November 2021 at Ararat, but the stars were aligned at Warrnambool for her to record her fifth career win.
So far this season, Walters has won seven races here in the Limestone Coast prior to yesterday’s meeting at Penola and sits in fourth spot, two wins behind the leader Kayla Crowther
There were jubilant scenes here at Glenburnie last week for Warrnambool hobby trainer John Brooks after the 1550-metre maiden plate.
Brooks had his first winner since 2015 at Naracoorte, (a horse ridden by Paul Marks) when the 40/1 chance Bywonner prevailed by half a length.
His son Charlie was over the moon and almost lost for words when interviewed after the race, blurting “we never, ever expected Bywonner to win here today”.
Victorian trainers won the first two races on the card before the locals rallied to win three of the five remaining events.
The track favoured those horses who led or raced near the lead, the one exception being the Lee Creek trained Melinke who rattled home to win the 1204-metre maiden in a close photo.
Bossy Britches was ridden a treat by Dominic Tourneur to give the Michael O’Leary stable its first winner of the local season in the 2060-metre BM 64 handicap.
Likewise, fellow local trainer Richard Nicholson found himself in the winner’s stall for the first time this Limestone Coast season after Oamaru Poppy caused a boilover in the final event.
Oamaru Poppy was the second 40/1 chance to salute and ruined the hopes of most quadrella punters, resulting in a dividend in excess of $22,000.
The unlucky runner of the meeting was Wonga Flyer who was denied a clear run for the entire length of the home straight and should have finished much closer than fourth.
TREBLE FOR BARKER
HAMILTON driver Jackie Barker has started 2023 in a blaze of glory.
Barker had a full book of six drives at the meeting here last Tuesday night and finished with three winners, a second and a third.
Two of her winners were for the Drumborg stable of Rebecca East in successive races with I Betuwantano and Eastbro Adele.
Considering Martins Magic had run second at Ballarat four days earlier as a $4.20 chance, the four-year-old gelding was way over the odds ($20) in the opening event.
His draw (barrier 7) did not help his cause but a perfect Rod Barker drive enabled Martins Magic to use the sprint lane and win his second race in the space of a month.
A confident, front-running drive by Bill Drury saw a plunge come off in the NR 55-65 pace when Terror The Christian ($14-$6.50) safely held the favourite Sea Lover in the concluding stages.
The pint-sized Lethal Louie made it three wins from three starts at the Greenwald Paceway with an effortless victory in the NR 40 pace.
As his odds ($1.04 fav.) suggested he would, Lethal Louie made a one-act affair of the race from the 500 metres to win by 14.5 metres.
Getting good sized fields continues to be an ongoing struggle for the Mount Gambir club, with 36 horses competing in the six races.
COMING UP
Sunday, January 15: Hamilton trots (cup day).
Sunday, January 22: Mount Gambier gallops (Summer Cup) and Mount Gambier trots (twilight meeting).
