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FEATURE : SPRINT RACING SEASON IN THE NORTH
On 6th October Jundah racing club held the second running of the $ 15,000 Brady Prow Memorial Sprint . This was run over 200 metres under the time trial format where each horse individually runs against the clock , same as the Mailman Express . The winner was Wakandra Boy ( SLR Mojos Workin ) owned by Andrew Jansen and ridden by Alisha O ’ Dell . Second was Sullivans Eyesa Cat ( Eyesa Special USA ) owned by Jody Murray and ridden by Miranda Shepherd . Eyesa Cat won the inaugural running of this race in 2023 . In third place was Morns Roc Jack ( Traditional Spinner ) owned and ridden by Cassy Moroney . The win of Wakandra Boy ( alias Roughtrot ) was quite fitting for this race in honor of a good stockman and horseman . Andrew Jansen had specifically bred this horse from his noted time event mare She ’ s Winken Flash to be a steer wrestling mount . Roughtrot is just filling in his time being a racehorse while he is growing up enough to become a time event horse .
Also on 6th October other sprinters gathered for the Georgetown Bush Races . Mr Hanky Panky , ridden by Jock Connolly , continued his winning ways taking out the Georgetown Cup ahead of Exsplosive Girl and Sullivans Gotcha Tale , as well as winning the Open 250 with Jabelle Aint She Fancy and Sullivans Maid deadheating for 2 / 3 . Dennis Mann ’ s Sensational Secretary ( Eyesa Sensation ) won the Progressive followed by Fastmans Manung and One Famous Fling while the Open was won by Sullivans Gotcha Tale with Explosive Girl TB and Just a Love Story TB in the placings . Lee Chappell ’ s Hudson , ridden and trained by Lee Bowker was successful in the Maiden .
19th October saw the Torbanlea Picnic Races – a great programe of 9 races and beautiful grass track but no results are available .
26th October saw the last 2 meetings for the season when the Banana Battle of the Bush coincided with the Diamontina Bush Sprints far to the west at Winton . Mr Hanky Panky chose to make the 800 km trip to Winton where , ridden by Cameron Creevey , he took out the $ 4500 Open Dash for Cash . Jabelle Aint she Fancy was relegated into second place in this her final race of her career . This mare has been a most consistent racehorse for Troy Gallagher with 14 wins to her credit .
At Banana Bush Bash Wakandra Boy , winner of the 15,000 Brady Prow Memorial earlier that month sped away with the $ 7000 winners purse . He had also been sold for $ 5800 in the Calcutta .
There is much more to be told – the dedicated owners , trainers and jockeys who somehow fit in all the racing with their regular occupations and travel massive distances to widespread meetings , hardworking committees who organize great community events around the races and who go to so much effort to prepare tracks and provide officials .
And then , over and above all , an amazing array of sponsors whose generosity ensures it can all happen . Yes , they ‘ re racing in the north and may it continue to grow .
Australian Quarter Horse Association - www . aqha . com . au