Day fights all the way for victory
A Last-ditch lunge on the line has helped Rockhampton trainer Jamie Mcconachy continue his sunshine swing in style.
Based in Townsville over the winter carnival, Mcconachy finally saluted the crowd at Cluden Park with his first winner at the track in Mishani Wrangler.
But it was a win that almost wasn’t for the trainer as the five-year-old gelding fought tooth-and-nail with the Georgie Bourke-trained Airacobra down the home straight.
A lunge at the post gave Mishani Wrangler the win by a nostril in the Benchmark 69 Handicap (1200m), while local gallopers Sweet Perfume and Malos dead-heated for third.
Brisbane jockey Nathan “Grubby” Day said divine intervention might have played a part in the final steps.
“I just looked across and prayed,” Day said. “I really had to work hard, I had to give him everything to get him home. He fought on well, he was having a bit of a look around on me around the 100m but I just gave him one good kick and he straightened on.
“I got a good run. It was a bad alley but I ended up getting one in and one off the fence which was great. It was the reason why I won.”
Townsville trainer Matt Mcguire finally got his winning feeling with five-year-old mare Cinematography when she led from the outset in the Maiden Handicap (1000m) to salute at long odds.
It was a stroke of luck for the local trainer after $1.95-favourite Ta Chanson threw rider Justin Stanley in the opening strides. Stanley is understood to have been uninjured.