Flying Light chance to win Sewell another Cup
IF YOU want to know how to win a Cairns Amateur Cup, Townsville trainer Errol Sewell is a very good man to speak with.
The master trainer has achieved the rare feat of securing the annual race at Cannon Park as both a jockey and trainer in his outstanding career.
Originally from Charters Towers, Sewell booted home 1976 Cup winner Tropical for Sir Edward Cohen and Angus Smith before turning his hand to training.
He does not remember the exact number of Cairns Amateur Cups he has won as a trainer but Racing Queensland has him down as claiming them with Big Topic in 1977 and Crewshade in 1984.
Sewell was quick to answer “jockey” when asked if it was better to win the feature race as a jockey or a trainer.
“It is much easier because you don’t need to worry about training the horse,” he said with a laugh.
“I was only an amateur jockey, my son Darin was a professional. I rode for a few years and rode a lot of winners.”
The veteran trainer won three consecutive Townsville Cups with Party King in 2001-2003.
Dubbed Townsville’s “Cups King”, he gave Flying Light his debut in the Far North last month at Cannon Park, finishing second to Rockhampton stayer Chivadahlii in the Cairns Cup (2100m).
Flying Light will start as favourite for tomorrow’s Cairns Amateur Cup Open Handicap (2100m).
Sewell has elected not to give the five-year-old, previously looked after by Brisbane trainer Barry Baldwin, another run before the Amateur Cup and is confident of another bold run.
“He was a bit unlucky in the Cup in Cairns, there was a bit of interference, but that is racing and you can’t worry about that,” he said.
“He will race well this Saturday, do not worry about that, he has come along good.”
According to UBET’s Nick Curry, Flying Light was “being backed to exclusion” to go one better in the Cairns Amateur Cup Open Handicap at Cannon Park tomorrow.
Flying Light is currently a $2.90 favourite.