Stephenson stoked after Cup triumph
VETERAN trainer Michael Stephenson declared he doesn’t show any emotion, but there was little that could stop the 72-year-old doing a little jig through North Queensland.
Stephenson was jumping for joy on the inside as his champion runner Hara’s Panda held on late to win the Group 3 WESEAL Townsville Cup by half a head from a fast-finishing Federal Morgan.
But the celebrations weren’t reserved for the Townsville Showground track after the trainer led a Panda party all the way back to Fishery Falls. Stephenson was staying in the tiny town half-an-hour out of Cairns with one of his closest friends David Church.
Hara’s Panda became the town’s official mascot for a day, spending the weekend up on the pool table of the local pub while his trainer sung songs of glory.
“We have had a great time, to be honest if it wasn’t for Churchy and his partner Debbie, I probably wouldn’t have come up for the races,” Stephenson said.
“We did the four hour trip back to Townsville three times over the two weeks, but it was well worth it.
“It is my first group winner. I have had a couple dog of the year awards but never a race win like this.
“I don’t like to show emo- tion, but I can promise I was very happy on the inside,” he said.
The Brisbane trainer believed the “stars had aligned” for his runner after drawing the rails run out of box one for the first time in the twoyear-old’s career.
The runner by Fernando Bale has incredible box speed and there was no better display than on the Townsville track after he sprinted clear to put six lengths on the field heading through the middle sectional.
With little galloping before fo the th race, there was concern that he would struggle to hold on.
“He got a bit tired by the end of it,” Stephenson said.
“I run the straight track down in Brisbane and normally I would give him a few gallops before the race.
“But up here I had no space to gallop him. I have been walking around the cane farms up here every day and it has nearly killed me, but obviously it was just enough to get him there.”
Local trainer Michael Hickmott was also celebrating after Good Odds Nutty made the most of a late callup to win the TGOBTA North Queensland Sprint.