Rewald to concentrate on training ahead of Longreach Cup

By Jordan Gerrans

Champion bush horseman David Rewald has declared his days in the saddle on race day are likely to be over as he bids for the 2023 Longreach Cup with two gallopers from his team.

The 63-year-old was one of the original dual-licensed participants in the Sunshine State, preparing and riding his own team of horses for many years since the concept was first introduced.

With more than 1,200 victories to his name as a jockey – according to Racing And Sport’s statistics – Rewald says his race riding days are now in the past and he will focus on his training pursuits.

He has competed in and won many of the big races around the bush for decades.

The Blackall-based Rewald fractured his ankle at Betoota in late August of last year and has not ridden in a race since.

He has been prolific on the country circuit for decades and claimed a Listed race in the saddle back in late 1985 with a galloper named Latin Myth.

“I was thinking about going back riding but I got heavy and I cannot get motivated about trying to lose weight any more,” he said.

“It is hard to lose weight when you get older.

“I will just focus on my training from now on, I think. I like my training.”

While no longer riding on a permanent basis, the horses Rewald train have continued to be competitive wherever they travel around the state.

The barn finished in the top four in the country trainers premiership last season and they are within the leading group in the category once again in 2023-24.

Rewald and his team make the short drive from Blackall to Longreach this Saturday for the annual Cup – which is a TAB race day for the Central West club – with gallopers Gypsy Biker and Smooth Move.

Smooth Move has been handed the top weight of 62.5kgs with top provincial hoop Brooke Richardson to do the steering.

Stable mate Gypsy Biker – who is owned by big-time country racing supporter Rodney Hay - put in an enormous run at Winton last Saturday to finish second.

Noted miler Gypsy Biker ran third in the feature Longreach Cup last year and Rewald says of his two, the light-weight son of Mossman is his leading hope in the $25,000 race.

“Gypsy Biker raced really well the other day,” Rewald said.

“If he can race like he did the other day on Saturday, he is the best of my two.

“He goes all right as a horse but he is in and out at times.

“It was a big run at Winton, he got home good despite him carrying much more weight than the winner.”

A total of nine gallopers will line-up for the Longreach Cup of 2023, with Rewald branding Burden the horse to beat after his fast-finishing third-placed effort in the Birdsville Cup earlier this month.

Smooth Move has earned his big 62.5kgs for the Cup after winning on five occasions and placing four more times this year along since transferring out to the Central West.

Smooth Move has been one of the best credentialled horses in the area over the last year on the back of his move to the Rewald barn.

“I thought Smooth Move would go alright but he has that big weight,” the trainer said.

“He has won five this year but he just keeps sneaking up in the weights.

“He has worked his way up the classes. He will still race alright but it is just harder for them to pick up now with those big weights.”

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

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.

Rewald says either of his gallopers will be certain starters in ‘the big dance’ if they were to qualify and if they cannot punch their tickets at Longreach, there are other options around the district, including on their home track of Blackall, in the coming weeks.

The seven-event Longreach Cup meeting has attracted big fields and will be broadcast around the country as a TAB meeting through Sky Racing.