WINNO'S 2019 BRISBANE WINTER CARNIVAL WRAP

By Darren Winningham | Tuesday, June 25, 2019

2019 BRISBANE WINTER RACING CARNIVAL

Well the curtain has come down on the TAB Channel 7 Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival.

From a personal viewpoint, I thought the racing was fabulous. The race-club staff worked hard to accommodate sponsors, visitors and participants and the return to Eagle Farm was great.

I still think we are missing something in Brisbane for the Carnival – maybe a theme or a slogan or catch-phrase like other major sporting events use to get people hooked.

I still think the consistent theme around the Darwin Racing Carnival is awesome – “The Carnival of Colour”. It is supported on and off the track with all of the table settings, the posters, the banners, the promotional items, the merchandise and the fashions on the field events underlining a common theme.

As mentioned again in their promotion for this year’s event, ‘The Great Northern Darwin Cup Carnival is being billed as the ‘Carnival of Colour’ and Darwin City will be awash in vivid bright tones when Carnival fever grips.’

They are so bold as to keep it each year as their core theme and come up with other marketing strategies to get people into the spirit of their Carnival.

I just think it is about time to invest in the future and create a solid theme for the Winter Racing Carnival and embrace it!

That’s my view … but that’s to do with the future. For now, it is time me to look back as I review the Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival.

In no particular order these are my highlights of the past seven weeks.

***************************************************************************************************

BEST OF THE BEST (JOCKEYS)

Blake Shinn has in tantalising form throughout the Carnival.

After a severe injury last August where he broke his neck in a fall at barrier trials at Randwick, he has fought his way back to be one of the most respected tacticians in races. He only returned to the saddle in January after an arduous rehabilitation program that has really paid off.

His decision to base himself in Brisbane over the Winter Carnival has yielded wonderful results for the hoop who rode ten winners over the 54 race Carnival program.

Arguably the highlight of his set of highlights came on Queensland Oaks Day when he had wins on Multaja (Helen Coughlan Stakes), Redouble (Spear Chief Handicap), Diamond Thunder (Oxlade Stakes) and Shadow Hero (The Phoenix).

Since this riding effort it was announced by The Hong Kong Jockey Club that Shinn has been granted a licence to ride in Hong Kong from the start of the new season until February 29 next year. I am certain that he will be an instant success in Hong Kong. I will be watching eagerly to see how he goes when the new season commences there.

Then you have James McDonald who rode seven winners over the Carnival before moving on to ride in England over the Royal Ascot Carnival, an engagement that once again underlines the high regard in which Australian jockeys are held throughout the world.

THE (ALMOST) ALL CONQUERING ROYAL BLUE ARMY

One may assume that with the amount of BLUE that was have seen over the Carnival that the Godolphin Racing team have dominated the Winter Carnival (I did).

Godolphin's head Australian trainer James Cummings decided to target the winter with a strong team after Exhilarates won the Magic Millions 2YO Classic in January. He sent foreman Nacim Dilmi to Brisbane in early May with a team he believed would be suited in Brisbane.

It paid off as Godolphin has won eight stakes races this winter – the Stradbroke (Trekking), Silk Stocking (Demerara), Chief De Beers (Isaurian), Grinders Coffee Stakes (Savatiano), Lightning (Plague Stone), Helen Coughlan Stakes (Multaja), Winning Edge Stakes (Kordia) and the G.H. Mumm (Duca Valentinois).

On top of these successes throw in a Group One second by Osborne Bulls in the Doomben 10,000, third for Trekking in the Group One Kingsford Smith Cup and a Group One second and third in the Tattersall’s Tiara with Pohutukawa and Savatiano and it has been a $2.3 million dollar winter for the stable.

Trekking's win in the Group One Stradbroke Handicap completed a season to remember for the Goldolphin Australia operation. Trekking's win was the Australian operation's 200th for the season and lifted it to a tick under $29 million in prize money. It was also Godolphin's eighth Group One win for the season,seven for Cummings and one for Anthony Freedman, putting it in second place behind Chris Waller (18) on the Australian list.

A BIT DISAPPOINTING BUT STILL GOOD ENOUGH TO SET A NEW GROUP 1 WINNING RECORD

I suppose the disappointment for many was that prior to the Carnival everyone (including myself) expected the Chris Waller Racing juggernaut to take the Brisbane Racing Carnival by storm but they ended up with only four winners over the BRC Carnival.

It would have to be one of the most disappointing Carnivals results in the history of this stable.

However, they did get that elusive Group 1 win they wanted and needed to break the Australian record for most Group 1 winners in a season when Invincibella took out the Tatts Tiara in the last Group 1 of the season.

TONY PIKE WAS AT IT AGAIN

There was an exceptional training effort from Tony Pike who each year seems to target this Carnival and win races and steals the Australian prizemoney back to New Zealand.

The Bostonian started at $41 in the Doomben 10,000 and destroyed the field to win the race. Pike, jockey Michael Cahill and The Bostonian then repeated the dose in the Kingsford Smith Cup a fortnight later when he started at $11 and buried the opposition.

The Bostonian became only the fifth horse in history to complete the unique sprint double.

Up until the Stradbroke a fortnight ago, where he lost his chance at the start, he had the unique record of being undefeated in Queensland.

A ‘Pike Alert’ should be put out when he arrives with his raiders next year.

AS ALWAYS, THE SNOWDEN STABLE GET THEIR SHARE OF CARNIVAL WINNERS

I was surprised when I looked at the results to see the Peter & Paul Snowden team had managed eight winners over the Carnival as well.

Throw in the Stronger winning on the Gold Coast in the Ken Russell Memorial (Group 3) they had the most success over the Carnival – with a total of nine. Granted the winning horses were not all stakes winners but it was a very impressive effort from this stable.

OTHERS STABLE SUCCESSES OF NOTE

The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace stable was very successful as well. Strangely his horses seem to fire at Doomben!

They won four Group races with their team that invaded Queensland. The feature was the first Group 1 victory for the stable when Kenedna won the Group 1 Doomben Cup. Other victories included the Group 2 Roses (Etana), Group 2 PJ O’Shea Stakes (Kenedna) and the Group 2 Champagne Classic (Dubious).

The most successful Queensland trainer was Tony Gollan with five winners over the Carnival. His partnership with Blake Shinn saw them win multiple races together.

WINNING TRAINERS’ BREAKDOWN

The overall winning breakdown of the 54 races over the Carnival was interesting as well.

NSW trainers – 27 wins
QLD trainers – 17 wins
VIC trainers – 5 wins
Other trainers – 5 wins.

MCGILLIVRAY AND COLLETT JOIN THE GROUP 1 WINNERS’ CLUB

Matthew McGillivray won the Queensland Oaks on Winning Ways aboard the Gary Newham trained filly starting at $21. She probably put the form on the board a month earlier when she was so dominant in the Gold Coast Bracelet (Listed) over 1800 metres on a heavy track.

Many punters let her get under their guard after her run in the traditional lead up race – the Roses (Group 2) - but she really had no luck and McGillivray was confident moving forward with the Oaks her final Grand Final.

Emotional scenes ensued after the win as owner Paul Makin had passed away earlier in the week. Whilst the mood was sombre at the presentation of trophies it was wonderful to see Matthew McGillivray win his maiden Group 1.

What was even more special was that his wife Aimee and their son Max. It was a true family effort with Aimee driving almost 7 hours earlier in the day from Narrabri to support Matt on the special day.


Then on Tattersall’s Tiara Day another jockey, New Zealand born Jason Collett, won his maiden Group 1 victory aboard the Chris Waller trained Invincibella. Collett, with over 900 career wins behind his name, has been the bridesmaid on eleven occasions.

He was beaming after the win on the mare who has a wonderful record each time she races in Queensland. Her form leading into the Tiara was impeccable after winning the Dane Ripper (Group 2) for the second consecutive year.

Part owner Matt Stiff was at the track and was elated when I didn’t tip her saying “every time you don’t tip her, she wins – you are my good luck charm”.

Collett too was elated with the win saying, "I was starting to think I was cursed. I saw the Cummings horse (Pohutukawa) loom up late and thought I was going to finish second again!”.

After the race Collett and the connections celebrated with the trophies and then Matt and I put Jason on our shoulders (as is tradition) when a jockey wins his first feature race!

THAT CELEBRATION

The most noisy and unique celebration award must go to the boisterous eruption triggered when the Anthony Cummings trained Prince Fawaz speared through late to win the Magic Millions JJ Atkins Plate (Group 1) on Stradbroke Day.

Prince Fawaz provided Cummings (who wasn’t at the track – maybe he knew he could end up bruised when the celebration broke out) with his first Group 1 winner since Your Song won the 2013 BTC Cup.

Prince Fawaz also brought up Kerrin McEvoy’s sixth Group 1 winner for this season, which includes his 2018 Melbourne Cup triumph on Cross Counter.

What seemed to be one hundred owners, but was probably only around 26, made the noise of many more when jumping around, screaming, hugging and chanting after their horse won the Group 1 feature race in celebrations not seen on a Brisbane course for many years.

FLEMO – MY FRIEND AND RIVAL

Finally, a special mention to Sky Racing’s Josh Fleming who was soundly defeated by WINNO in our Carnival tipping competition. We have had some great battles over the Carnival and we did tip a few winners.

It is the fun we have around this time of year when we combine our love of racing with our love for our respective States in State of Origin that makes our interaction so enjoyable.

Thanks again mate for a great battle – I just hope that NSW claims a further victory for me this season!

More articles