AMATEUR riders Roger “Golly” Carter and Bobby Mackay made the Boolooroo Cup at Moree Picnics their own during their respective days in the saddle – and trainer Peter Sinclair is doing pretty much the same thing in the modern era.
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During the 1930s, Carter rode six consecutive Boolooroo Cup winners – Kummie (1932), Thalaba (1933-34-35), Blue Blood (1936) and Laird O’Logan in 1937.
Around four decades later Mackay partnered five cup winners in six years: Speribo (1971), Charmero (1972), Passing Trade (1973), High Line (1975) and Yakinova in 1976.
Fast-forward the calendar nearly 50 years and Sinclair is poised to create a few records of his own.
The Moree trainer has led back nine Boolooroo Cup winners in 21 years and he reckons he has the horsepower to snare his 10th – and fifth in succession – when the first leg of bush racing’s Golden Triangle springs from the barriers on his home track on Saturday.
Sinclair, who has also won three of the last five Moree Bracelets, saddles up prolific picnicker Dungiven and last year’s Boolooroo Cup winner One Double in the Moree Picnic Race Club’s feature race.
Dungiven finished well back in the 1600m Gunnedah Cup on Mothers’ Day before scoring over 1200m at Coonamble last Saturday against BM-55 company – a huge effort given the gelding was coming back 400m in distance in just six days.
On the same program One Double finished second to smart mare Farewell Julia in class 3 company over 1400m.
Sinclair says the stablemates have hit form at just the right time.
“Dungiven is a trier – his form will tell you that,” Sinclair said.
“The Gunnedah Cup was obviously a bit tough for him but he went well the other day at Coonamble and he’s coming good at the right time.”
Dungiven, part-owned by Moree veterinarians David Hunter and Charlie Bunce, has risen rapidly through the picnic ranks during the past three seasons.
Bought as a maiden horse for not much money, Dungiven has now won 10 races and been placed a further eight times from just 32 starts.
“The first year we went around at the picnics with him and won a maiden and a couple of class Bs, I said to Charlie that we might have to find a better horse for the following year because I wasn’t that confident that Dungiven would be up to the cups . . . well, I was 100 per cent wrong,” Sinclair smiled.
Dungiven last year won picnic cups at Mallawa and Wean as well as the Talwood Cup on the professional circuit.
Sinclair can indeed call the Boolooroo Cup his own after wins with Sahara Bounty (1995), Midas Boy (2000-2001), Nepelle (2003), Jazzmaker (2007), Crystal Club (2012), Joppick (2013), Tapakeg (2014) and One Double last year.
One Double chases back-to-back wins in the historic race, first run in 1924 when won by Diplomation.
“One Double has been going good,” Sinclair said.
“He’s a bit of an in-and-out horse and sometimes I just don’t understand him – sometimes he doesn’t race as well as I expect him to.
“But on his day he’s a decent horse and he won last year’s cup pretty easily.
“He’s fit and well and he ran a good race at Coonamble last start,” he said.
Sinclair also starts Free Billy in today’s $15,000 Clubs NSW Benchmark 70 Handicap (1300m) at Armidale.
The exciting gelding was narrowly beaten in the recent Gunnedah Cup by Halfway To Heaven.
He jumps from a good alley (3) today with Darren Jones back on board.
