Hoop Emma Bell overjoyed to lift Longreach Cup

By Jordan Gerrans

Emma Bell’s bush Cup hit-list reads like a grey nomad's driving holiday through the Central West.

The 35-year-old has won the feature staying races in towns such as Muttaburra, Ilfracombe, Isisford and Alpha, among others, in her tenure in the sport.

The Clermont-based Bell has long ventured to Longreach to ride after making her debut in the saddle in the early stages of 2017.

Being a TAB day, the Longreach Cup is a crown every jockey in the region wants to have on their resume.

After winning an array of bush Cups in recent years around the region, Bell was smiling from ear-to-ear to add Longreach to her list of achievements on Saturday afternoon.

The Bell name is steeped in history in the region with her father Billy Bell a legendary figure in Clermont and the surrounding areas.

“It was massive emotion,” Bell said after the Cup win. 

“I have ridden a lot of the Cups around here but I have never won it here in Longreach. I have always wanted to.

“We knew we were going in with a great chance with Burden as he ran a good race the other day at Birdsville, he was just a bit unlucky in running on that day. But, he put it all together at Longreach.”

Bell lifted the Longreach Cup of 2023 aboard the Clinton Austin-trained Burden in a thrilling finish to the staying event.

Austin described Bell’s ride as ‘brilliant’ and rated it a '10 out of 10'.

The hoop has stuck with the gelding through his preparation, finishing in the money at Birdsville, Aramac and Muttaburra before finally getting the chocolates at Longreach.

Race favourite Centaur – who won the event last year – dived on the line in an attempt to upset Burden and Bell but they did enough to hold on in the thrilling finish over a mile.

After running home strongly in the Birdsville Cup in early September, Bell was confident Burden would be hard to hold out at Longreach.

“I was unsure and thought the outside horse was finishing a bit better,” Bell said of the busy finish.

“I thought I had the inside covered horse on the post but the outside horse, I was unsure as he was finishing quite well.

“It was a pretty close finish.”

Longreach Jockey Club president Andrew Watts was once again proud to present the Central West region to the world through Sky Racing on their annual Cup day.

Watts - who also calls the races at the track - described Cup day as a ‘social fabric’ in the community.

“We put all our time and effort into this race day to make it one big, strong community event,” Watts said.

“It has been the Longreach community event of the year the past two years because we focus on stimulating the economy, we have a plane come out from Brisbane and we have great local sponsorship.

“That is reflected as well on the racing side of things, we are always trying to improve our facilities and amenities.

“It is all about bringing the best racing product to the Central West.”

The Longreach Cup marked the start of the qualifying heats for the Country Cups Challenge Final to be conducted at Doomben in December.

Burden is now qualified for the Final. 

A total of 16 heats will take place across regional Queensland, featuring the very best horses in country racing chasing a berth to battle it out in a metropolitan Final.

The Country Cups Challenge over 1600 metres will be run for $200,000 in stakes and will be held at Doomben on Saturday December 2, 2023, during the Queensland Summer Racing Carnival.