Veteran FNQ mare racing in career best form ahead of BOTB Final

By Jordan Gerrans

Racing in career-best touch at almost 10 years of age, North Queensland horseman Scott Cooper refers to Our Chiquilla as an ‘absolute sweetheart’.

Not many mares race into their tenth year as they are usually enjoying life in the breeding area or transitioned into being an off-the-track galloper.

Our Chiquilla’s owners and trainer Cooper did not think she still would be racing this deep into 2023 but they have been pleasantly surprised.

The Cannon Park-based horse is most certainly not limping into her old age - she is a two-time winner this year, and has another second-placed finish from five starts.

One of those two victories was a Battle Of The Bush qualifier at Mareeba, landing Cooper and his mare in the $200,000 decider at Eagle Farm this Saturday afternoon.

Cooper and connections are happy to call time on Our Chiquilla’s racing career at any point, but she is not showing any signs that she is ready for the next phase of her life.

“She loves racing, she loves being in the stables and being in work,” the former jockey said.

“While she is still competitive, we will keep her going.

“I will leave retirement up to her, she will tell us when she stops performing.”

Our Chiquilla has 74 career starts to her name but she cannot even be referred to as the veteran of the BOTB field in 2023.

Darling Downs galloper Hard Stride is racing in evergreen fashion at 12 years of age, having faced the starter on 124 occasions.

Hard Stride is a regular in the city in these kind of races, claiming the Country Stampede Final at Doomben in late 2020.

Back to Our Chiquilla, Cooper rates her as one of the three best horses he has ever put the polish on.

The Cairns-based Cooper was a jockey in Victoria in his younger days before relocating to FNQ where he has developed a consistent strike-rate in the north of the Sunshine State.

As well as preparing his own team of horses, Cooper also rides some track work for other stables as well as doing some farrier work.

Cooper’s career in the saddle did not last long but he has made a good fist of the training caper, nearing a ton of career victories since he prepared his maiden winner a decade ago.

The 1200 metre BOTB Final will be Cooper’s first starter on a metropolitan Saturday.

“It is a very good concept,” he said of the BOTB.

“It gives some of these horses and even trainers like myself to come down to the city and race a horse.

“We planned to start her in this series half a year ago, so we certainly plan towards it as it is a good thing to have.”

Our Chiquilla has been with Cooper since August of 2020 and he is glad that she will become his maiden city runner.

“She is such a loveable mare, you can do anything with her,” Cooper said.

“She is just an absolute sweetheart.”

The bay mare won her way into the BOTB decider through a Mareeba qualifier in late May.

She came from back in the field to find a gap in the concluding stages to score by a short margin.

Our Chiquilla has drawn perfectly in barrier one for Saturday’s event and will be ridden by Nathan Day, who has been her pilot on three occasions already this year.

The TAB has Our Chiquilla rated as a $19 chance in the BOTB decider as of Thursday morning, with Rockhampton galloper Isis Carmella the $4 favourite. 

She travelled south with stable mate Licona, who is also raced by the Cairns-based Martin family.

The Martins have long been supporters of the Cooper stable and racing generally in North Queensland.

Licona will start in a No Metro Wins Handicap race at Eagle Farm on Saturday. 

Cooper and his mares are staying at Barry Baldwin’s Eagle Farm stables this week ahead of the BOTB.

Fellow Cairns trainer Trevor Rowe is also at Baldwin’s.

Rowe – who trains in partnership with his son Peter – also has a runner in Saturday’s BOTB Final – Loud Noise.