Newmarket win would be just divine
NAMED by one of his late owners, Divine Success will start as the emotional favourite for today’s Newmarket Handicap at Cannon Park. The seven-year-old gelding was given his moniker by Elaine Piccone almost six years ago and husband Lou and sons John and Peter Piccone are still part of the ownership group. Trainer Peter Rowe (left) said sentimentality played a part in him starting today. “If he can win, it would be something special,” he said.
ELAINE Piccone passed away almost six years ago but her name and memory are still living on through gelding Divine Service.
Now in the stable of upand-coming Cairns trainer Peter Rowe, Divine Service was named by Elaine Piccone and still races with her name in the race book as part of connections.
With husband Lou Piccone and sons John and Peter Piccone also a part of the ownership group, the seven-year-old would be an emotional winner of this afternoon’s $75,000 Cairns Newmarket.
The Piccones own plenty of horses around the state but a Cairns Cup carnival winner with Divine Service would be just as significant as one in Brisbane.
The brown gelding flew home for second last month at Cairns over 1250m and steps up to the 1400m this afternoon.
It would be a special race to win for Rowe, repaying the faith of the Piccone family to give him the horse.
“That is why he is up here racing now, that sentimental reason, otherwise I think they would have just retired him,” Peter said.
“She named the horse and was in the ownership group, this is the last horse with a connection to her.
“If he could win, it would be something special.
“The horse is getting on in years but while he is still fit and healthy, he will be going around.”
Divine Service has gone through the stables of Gary Duncan and Darryl Hansen over the last few year’s, finishing third in the 2018 edition of the Cairns Newmarket, while in the yard of Hansen.
He was less than a length behind the winner, Peacock, that day.
It is nearing two years since Peter started training out on his own, after previously working with his dad Trevor, collecting his first winner with Super Shoes late last year.
And, while he has had horses with some ability, Peter believes Divine Service is a class above what he has trained previously and will allow him to compete with the big spenders of north Queensland racing.
“It certainly helps because without fast horses, you are not going to get results,” Peter said.
“His last two runs before coming to me look horrible on paper but if you want his replays, they were enormous runs.
“He is a lot more relaxed horse now than what he was when he first arrived, he does not do anything wrong in track work.
“If we can get him to relax in his races, I think that is when we will see the best of him.”
Jockey Shohei Kaya deserves plenty of credit, according to Peter, as he rides him at trackwork and will retain the pilot’s job this afternoon.
Peter’s old man, Trevor, the 2016 Cairns Cup winner, thinks Divine Service is not without a chance today.
“It is good to see Peter having a couple of nice horses to train, he has a few nice horses in his stable at the moment,” Trevor said.
“You cannot beat form and Divine Service has lots of prize money and won a few good races down in Brisbane.
“On his run the other day, the top-weights in the Newmarket will not want to make any mistakes as Divine Service will run over the top of them.
“Peter is doing a great job with him so far.”