Betoota and Birdsville Cup double goes begging for Robb

By Jordan Gerrans

Rodney Robb travelled to regional Queensland aiming to lift the Birdsville Cup of 2023 but will soon be heading back to NSW smiling with a consolation prize.

The veteran Nyngan horseman started All Words in the Betoota Cup on Saturday afternoon as a tune-up towards the show-piece event of the Simpson Desert Racing Carnival – the ever-popular Birdsville Cup.

The son of Star Witness was successful in the Betoota Cup to kick-off the Cup races of the 'River Circuit'.

But, in the process the nine-time career winner from 30 starts picked up a minor injury concern.

Robb – a stalwart of around 10 trips north for the annual Birdsville carnival – is not taking any risks with the bay gelding and has elected to not go around on Saturday in the $50,000 Cup.

The well-travelled trainer could easily be disheartened by not claiming the main prize that the trip was based around but he was glad to be able to win the feature race at Betoota.

“It was really good, winning a race like that does not happen every week,” Robb said on Tuesday morning from Birdsville.

“The Birdsville Cup was the main plan for the trip and he is a good tough old horse.

“But, I do not think he will start in the Birdsville Cup now, he just jarred up a little bit so we will not preserve with him to go again on Saturday.

“It is a bit of a bugger but there is not much we can do.”

A capacity field is set to line up over the mile on Saturday for the Birdsville Cup of 2023, which will be broadcast across the globe as a TAB meeting.

While Robb was eager to try and win both Cups with All Words, he understands the class will rise to another level this Saturday.

“I am not sure if he was going to be good enough for the Birdsville Cup anyway as it was set to be a stronger field again,” the veteran trainer said.

“But, he was going to drop a lot in weight if he was to go around.”

It was a double for the stable at Betoota on Saturday as Cupid’s Kiss also got the money earlier in the program in a Ratings Band 0 – 60 Handicap over 1000 metres.

The two-day Birdsville carnival is set to commence on Friday afternoon with six TAB races before the Cup is run the following day.

Birdsville Race Club Vice President Gary Brook is over the moon with the size of fields set to start at the track over the two days and believes stables are enticed by the increased stakes on offer this year.

Trainers, riders and horses have come from all over the Sunshine State, into NSW, up to Darwin and into South Australia, as well.

“We are looking forward to the week ahead, the sun is shining and the weather is perfect,” Brook said on ABC radio this morning.

“We are looking forward to the crowd rolling in this week.

“We're really proud of the dollars that we can offer to those that are prepared to travel. 

“And, you do need to make it worth their while. People are travelling thousands of kilometres.”

The Robb stable will not have a Cup starter this Saturday but the stable do have an array of winning chances across the two programs.

He will have three start on each day and selected Hurn Court in the Benchmark 70 Handicap over 1000 metres on Saturday as the best winning hope from his team.

“I think the pick of my bunch is Hurn Court, he ran a good race the other day,” he said.

“And, if he can handle the other way of going then he will be competitive.”

Robb praised the Betoota Race Club for the way they conducted their annual meeting on Saturday, declaring all visitors were well looked-after by the locals.

The Betoota Race Club had about 60 volunteers helping run the race day – all decked out in yellow colours – with people coming in from neighbouring stations while tourists also pitched in.

Robb is unsure if he will stay on for the Bedourie leg of the Simpson Desert Racing Carnival, which will be held on the following Saturday after Birdsville.