McGovern looks to expand in North Queensland

By Glenn Davis

Townsville trainer Terry McGovern still can’t get over the thrill of having his first metropolitan starter in Brisbane but it will be business as usual when he heads to Atherton in Far North Queensland on Saturday.

The 41-year-old McGovern has been training for only three years and had never stepped foot on Doomben racecourse until Tempo started in the Country Stampede Final earlier this month.

Tempo is back in North Queensland and will have his first start since the Country Stampede in the Open Handicap over 1200 metres at Atherton on Saturday.

Tempo gave McGovern a big thrill when he was travelling well in third place rounding the home turn in the Country Stampede decider before fading late to finish eighth.

The six-year-old was only beaten just over two lengths by the Pat Webster-trained Dynamic Verse.

“I’ve never had a metropolitan starter before Tempo and he ran a cracker of a race and did an awesome job,” McGovern said.

“I’ve been to Rosehill and Eagle Farm but it was the first time I’ve set foot on Doomben.

“It’s a beautiful track but I think Tempo would have preferred the track to be a bit harder than a Soft 6.

“We’ve had a couple of bad rides on him up here before but Brodie Loy did a great job on him and when he’s ridden the right way, he goes okay.”

McGovern is a farrier by trade and only has a handful of horses in his stable most times and is down to only two during the hotter months in North Queensland.

He has a background in rodeo but has decided to give it all away to concentrate on his training profession.

“I’ve just bought a 100-acre property at Black River, just north of Townsville, and it has 10 boxes and a 1000 metre training track,” he said.

“I was heavily involved in rodeo but I’ve decided it’s time to concentrate on training and I’m on the lookout for more horses.

“My father is a good horseman and has been involved in horses all his life and is still heavily involved in camp drafting.”

McGovern prepared a winner on his first day of training at Mackay three years ago but is yet to train a major race winner.

However, he fondly recalls his biggest pay day.

“My biggest win was with Tempo in a Class 6 in Townsville during the winter carnival when he started at 100-1,” McGovern said.

“That’s the best day I’ve had and it was a big day.”

The Townsville trainer has Tempo and stable mate Big Baz accepted to race at Atherton on Saturday afternoon.