Sport
2 October, 2024
Mount Isa Spring Cup heading back to Barcaldine after impressive win
Stampede Warrior came from last to win the feature event.
Mount Isa trainer Jay Morris may have landed a treble, but it was Barcaldine horseman Bevan “Billy” Johnson who finished with bragging rights on Saturday.
He prepared the winners of the two Open races, including the Mount Isa Spring Cup, on a day when he was also presented with the Mount Isa Race Club’s 2023-24 training premiership.
Johnson opened his account in the Country Stampede Qualifier (1000m) with in-form galloper Han Dynasty.
The six-year-old gelding’s love affair with the Buchanan Park track continued as he made it nine wins from 10 starts in Mount Isa after Bella Youngberry produced another top ride.
However, Johnson saved his biggest smile for when Stampede Warrior ($8) came from last to claim the Spring Cup (1450m) – his first win in almost 12 months.
“He’s a really good horse, I think,” Johnson said.
“We purchased him last year for I think $4000 and if you count all the Cups he won last year, he won about $100,000 – he’s probably just taken a little bit of time to get back to his best.”
Johnson praised the ride of his new stable apprentice Youngberry, who didn’t panic at the back of the field and made her run at the right time to win by more than three lengths.
The well-backed favourite Le Force finished third after leading and running out of puff. Trainer Jay Morris hinted that the talented galloper may be headed for a spell after a long campaign.
Despite the Cup loss, it was a good day out for the Mount Isa Race Club president, who had three winners across the program.
He kicked off his account in the first when Le Weasel made it two wins on the bounce with a slick victory in the Benchmark 55 over 1000m.
Ridden by apprentice Shae Nielson, the five-year-old gelding raced to the lead from his wide gate and never looked like losing.
Benevento won in similar style in the 0-55 Handicap (1200m), also as favourite, this time with Jason Hoopert in the saddle.
The treble came in the last, but it was not without drama.
The short-priced Skylight Song ($1.40) was slower-than-usual to get out of the barriers in the Lord Derby Stakes (1200m) and Jason Babarovich had to work to get him to the front.
It looked as if he’d run into one horse better when Keith Ballard loomed up alongside him on the Tanya Parry-trained Invading Jilly, who hit the front only to injure itself, allowing Skylight Song to reclaim the lead and win.
Sadly, the new addition to Parry’s stable had to be euthanised.