Racing relies on owners who are willing to back their judgement and invest in horses especially in country racing where the returns are smaller.
Saturday’s results were a striking example featuring a winning double for a long-term owner and a strongly supported winner for a young group of mates who are willing to take a punt.
Owner Gary Stoll has been a long-time supporter of the Rodney Little stable and Grey Falcon and Purple Trumpet (of which Gary is a part owner) rewarded their patience on Saturday with convincing wins.
The growth of young owners in country racing was also evident when Max Tanks, Bradley Peckett, Shaun Oates, Liam Oates and Andrew Watts reaped an early return on their investment in Chapelco which scored a dominant win in the 1100 metres Patron Kate Dean Open Handicap at its second start for the Mark Oates stable.
Owning a winning racehorse provides a life-time memory no matter where the racetrack and it helps secure the future of country racing when long term and new groups of owners continue to invest in their next possible winner.
Chapelco produced a huge first up run at the previous Longreach races and its young group of owners backed their judgement in the betting ring where it ended up a clear $2 favourite.
The Northern Meteor gelding looked a treat in the parade ring and was ridden like a good thing by Matthew Gray sitting behind leaders Drayman and Boingo until entering the home straight.
In the straight Gray drove Chapelco to the lead before running out a convincing winner by almost three lengths from Drayman and Boingo. Already a winner over longer distances Chapelco adds to the depth of quality open company horses in the Central West.
Grey Falcon has been a work in progress for trainer Rodney Little being a slower maturing gelding by Top Echelon and Saturday’s win in the David & Claire Walker Ratings Band 0-50 Handicap 1200 metres was only the fourth career win in 28 starts but notably three of the wins have been with jockey Emma Bell.
Bell seems to be able to get Grey Falcon to keep its mind on the job after the start and produce a powerful finish in the straight.
Saturday was no different as Grey Falcon was only a few lengths off the leaders throughout the race and then pounced on the leaders in the straight before running away to beat Cactoblastis by over three lengths with Zorro Macho third.
The win also gave Bell a race to race double having won the Making Milestones Benchmark 60 Handicap 1400 metres on Get In The Groove for trainer David Rewald over Amadeo and Goldsay.
In contrast to the ride on Grey Falcon Bell summed up the pace of the race on Get In The Groove sharing the lead throughout before accelerating in the straight and giving nothing else a chance.
The double for Emma cemented her second place on the Barkers Newsagency Central West Jockeys Premiership climbing to 25 points only five points off leader Alisha Ross and Five clear of Brooke Richardson.
Purple Trumpet resumed from a spell in the G & G Browne Smash Repairs Benchmark 45 Handicap 1000 metres and stable confidence was not strong about a possible win but in another perfectly judged front running ride by jockey Brooke Richardson the Warhead mare packed too many guns for the opposition and could not be run down by Portabelle and Kuril Fox.
Purple Trumpet is owned in partnership by Gary Stoll with other long term stable owners John Delahunty, Fiona Turnbull and Miss J M Small and the mare has now won three from thirteen starts for the Little stable.
The strength of the win suggests Purple Trumpet will be competitive over longer distances in coming weeks.
In a day of doubles trainer/jockey David Rewald rode Zilitor to victory in the 1200 metres Longreach Fruit Barn Class 5 Plate to wrap up the second leg of his training double.
Zilitor had run second in the Augathella Meatant Cup the previous Monday and backed up to score a two- length victory over Seven Year Reward with odds on favourite Jarhead third.
Rewald had settled Zilitor off the pace before taking a rails run early in the straight and sprinting to a clear cut lead.
