TRAINER’S PLEASURE AND PAIN
AS connections and the extended Rowe stable accepted the spoils of the Lightning Open Quality Handicap (950m) on Saturday afternoon at Cannon Park, trainer Trevor Rowe stood in the distance and watched on.
He would have liked to be up there alongside his son Peter and the owners of Desert Cowboy, but he was nursing a sore back.
How did the leading Cairns trainer hurt his back on Cairns Cup Day?
Well, he was so excited when Desert Cowboy, a sixyear-old gelding, crossed the line in the feature sprint race of the carnival, he punched the air so hard he almost threw his back out.
He was in a little pain in the mounting yard but the experienced Cairns trainer was over the moon with the win of Desert Cowboy, a horse he has always had a huge opinion of.
The gelding shot clear down the straight before he looked like being run down by the Janel Ryan-trained Space Time but visiting jockey Quayde Krogh had other plans, digging in to get home in the $25,000 feature.
The gelding was bred by Helen Yeates and was previously raced in Brisbane before Rowe’s nephew, Terrance Rowe, tipped off his uncle.
Terrance breaks in the horses for Yeates and the owner and trainer have struck up a partnership.
“They told me Desert Cowboy was just not quite up to the class down there and asked if I would take him on,” Trevor said. “I said yes with both hands.
“I train a few horses for Helen now, Desert Cowboy is the pick of them so far but we have a couple more coming on that she bred and we are looking forward to having a good association with her.” The trip north was worth it for Quayde Krogh, who now works for Gai Waterhouse in Sydney.
“I always enjoy coming back to north Queensland where it all started for me,” the hoop said. “It is excellent.
“I am enjoying myself down in Sydney at the minute, I have just finished my time as an apprentice and I am considering a move back up north but I will see what happens over the next couple of months.”
Rowe will now consider giving the six-year-old a freshen up before targeting the Cairns Amateurs Carnival later in the year.
Winner: Trainer: Jockey: