Toowoomba's fascinating signature double

By Ross Stanley

After the field contesting the $160,000 Audi Centre Weetwood Handicap leaves Clifford Park’s back straight tomorrow, it will pass by the source of the Listed event’s name.

Weetwood House, built adjacent to the course in 1888 for Richard Scholefield, is bounded by Higgins and Tor Streets.

The $125,000 TAB Toowoomba Cup will also be decided at tomorrow's gala meeting. This staging marks the 124th outing of what could be termed continuous Cups. Versions earlier than 1919 had been temporary in nature.

THE FORMATIVE PHASE

Drayton, with a track situated west of the railway between Westbrook Crossing and Wyreema, preceded Toowoomba both as a settlement and a racing venue.

Work on a new course on today’s Clifford Park site began in 1861. For more than four decades it was referred to as the Drayton and Toowoomba Racecourse. In July 1862 the Darling Downs Jockey Club, under North Australian Jockey Club Rules, held its initial meeting there, with an agenda that included a selling race and two hurdles. 

The opening day attraction was the Drayton Cup, valued at £60 with £20 added. Entry was £5.The open weight-for-age battle, won by Young Stranger, involved heats over a mile-and-a-half.

Jibboom saluted on each of the three days, beginning with the rich £80 Maiden Plate. Next up was the Toowoomba Cup, run in mile heats for horses that had been in the bona fide ownership of Darling Downs residents for six months. The offering was £50 with half put up by the Mayor and the rest coming from the Race Fund. The £150 Drayton and Toowoomba Town Plate over three miles was Jiboom’s crowning glory.

The Toowoomba Turf Club, following its formation at a gathering at the Royal Hotel in January 1878, conducted its first program seven months later.

From 1878 to 1890, Richard Scholefield’s roles for the TTC included secretarial duties and tasks as a Trustee and a committee member. 

The prominent stock and station businessman, whose father's home in Leeds in England was called Weetwood, was an energetic and staunch supporter of a variety of community organisations. Scholefield arrived in Australia in 1862 and died in 1902, aged 58.

James Taylor, the TTC’s foundation president, was born in Clifford in Yorkshire. The Downs became his home in 1848 and his political life included terms in Queensland’s Legislative Assembly and Council and as Toowoomba’s Mayor. He was both entrepreneurial and civic minded and is widely regarded as Toowoomba’s founding father.

He named his Russell Street residence Clifford House, part of which operates now Gip’s Restaurant. Taylor’s Jack Russell dog, which died in October 1895, was called Gip. His master died in the following year. Clifford Park was officially adopted as the racecourse’s name in 1905.

THE WEETWOOD’S INFANCY 

On Thursday, June 6, 1895, the low key debut edition of the £20 Weetwood (6 furlongs) was won by E. J. “Ted” Easton’s Zulu, ridden by Michael Kendrick. The three-year-old promptly parcelled up the very next race, the £50 Town Plate (9 f). On the previous day, the black colt had missed a place in the £60 Toowoomba Turf Club Handicap (12f).

The status of horseracing was such that businesses closed for half-day holidays for the Toowoomba Turf Club’s two-day carnival. 

The first three Weetwoods were restricted to two- and three-year-olds. Easton, an eminent Ipswich owner and trainer, failed by a short head to capture the triad. He got the money with Petrowna (Kendrick) in 1896 but his hopeful Spray (Holmes) ran second to Lord Baldwin (Ryan) in 1897. The first open Weetwood (5f) in 1898 was won by Swift.

Before the advent of the Black-Type system in 1979, the Australian Stud Book tagged all features, irrespective of magnitude, as Principal Races. 

The Weetwood Handicap was in this grouping from 1940 to 1978. Henceforth, it has been Listed. This year it carries a purse of $160,000.

SOME WEETWOOD SNIPPETS 

1903: The heroine was the two-year-old filly Needle Gun. Carbine’s grand-daughter was a wonderful matron. In 1911, her son Pittsworth Gun took out the £80 Weetwood prior to finishing second in the Stradbroke with 9.4. A year later, the four-year-old mastered the Stradbroke with 9.13. In 1913 Line Gun, a juvenile filly from Needle Gun, kept the £700 Stradbroke laurels in the family.

1918: Victory went to the three-year-old Gold Tie (20/1) from “Watty” Blacklock’s Brisbane stable. John Finnie, who paid 180 guineas for the Maltster colt as a yearling in Sydney, was further rewarded with Stradbroke success in 1918.

After Gold Tie was on-sold to Ike Freedman for 500 guineas, triumphs in the 1919 Stradbroke and the 1920 Futurity Stakes at Caulfield ensued. In 1922, the sharp sprinter by a dual Derby winner was the Stradbroke runner-up. Just days later, J.H.S Barnes bought the stallion for 1000 guineas for duty at his Canning Downs stud. 

1929: The winner Saliden was trained by Bill Russell for Darcy Winten. After the death of his breeder-brother Harry, Winten had to sell Bern Maid and her foal (later named Bernborough) in 1940. Russell was the winning Weetwood jockey on Zoeller (1910) and King Gowrie (1913).

1934: Russell saddled up the aptly named Happy Returns. The Bachelor’s Persse colt repeated the dose in 1936 as a five-year-old and came back to secure an astonishing third Weetwood at 20/1 as a veteran in 1940.  

Although Oakey businessman Eddie Walker had no interest in horseracing, he and a mate tried to buy Bachelor’s Perrse to use as a private stallion. After they were promptly outbid, friends urged Walker to pick up a broodmare. Eventually Walker caved in and got Queen’s Birthday for just 20 guineas. Unbeknownst to him, she was pregnant to Bachelor’s Persse. The result was Happy Returns.

As fate would have it, Schoolmate, the runner-up in the 1936 Weetwood was raced by J. H. Walker, Eddie’s brother. Schoolmate (Bill Briscoe) continued the siblings’ rare run by taking out the 1937 Weetwood. 

Apprentice Neville Sellwood fluked the ride on Happy Returns in 1940. After arriving on course, Peter Morgan reneged on his booking and switched to Wiseland. The next year, Sellwood booted home Romero in the coveted sprint.

1935: It was an easy assignment for Pamelus and Ben Tebb. The Bullhead entire was also on top in the 1935 Doomben Newmarket. Among his swag of Victorian successes were the 1937 MVRC William Reid Stakes, 1937 VRC C. M. Lloyd Stakes and the 1938 Oakleigh Plate. 

Tebb built up a superb Weetwood portfolio. He prevailed in 1958 on Malarno. Amidst Nearco’s grandson’s credits are the QTC Hopeful-Sires Produce double and the 1959 MVRC Feehan Stakes. 

Trainer Walter Neale and Tebb successfully teamed up in 1950 with Duke Paul. The High Title gelding, in beating Con Doyle’s entry Silk Bine by a short head, reversed the race’s 1949 outcome. Tebb recorded his fourth Weetwood win in 1951 with Gay Laurie. The Lester Zupp-trained commodity provided another trophy for his owner Joe Buckley. His array already boasted mementos from the 1945 Weetwood (Narringo) and 1946-47 Cups (Gayborough). 

Duke Paul missed the 1951 carnival. In 1952 he filled second berth behind La Hey (Lahey in some sources) with Gay Laurie taking the minor money.

1939: Trainer Bill Bougoure and Briscoe completed the £400 Weetwood - £2000 Stradbroke double with R. A. Young’s Bahwing. Although the Rosewing gelding dwelt badly at barrier rise in the 1940 Weetwood, he still ran fourth, beaten three parts of a length. The Quilpie-owned galloper finished second in that year’s Stradbroke.

1946: Highstrung (Russell Maddock) along with Firebox (1965) and Combo (1974-75) made it four Weetwoods for Toowomba’s Billy Nielsen.

The story goes that there was a celebratory stop-over at the Marburg Hotel after Noel McGrowdie had snatched the 1947 Doomben 10,000 on the 25/1 shot Highstrung. The son of The Buzzard sired Hianthus, the 1959 Weetwood trophy-taker.

1944: Although Bernborough missed out three times on Feature glory, his chief Clifford Park rival Abruzzi won the 1944 Weetwood and the 1945 Cup. Bernborough’s jockeys in the form of Nielsen, Briscoe, McGrowdie and Les Watterson tasted big race success in Toowoomba. One of hiis trainers did too. Ernie Peck accounted for the 1920 Cup field with Abgull.

Bernborough’s father Emborough sired the winners of seven Cups, namely Gayborough (1946-47), Embrose (1948), Daasrae (1951) and Navleigh (1956-58).

1948: The background to Lucky Ted (Ron Donnelly, 6/4) landing a plunge for the Con Doyle was freakish. Charles and Mary Maher had won the Monash Valley gelding in a “shilling” Patriotic Raffle. Doyle, when doing the Toowoomba-Brisbane journey, frequently took a tea break at their refreshment rooms at Marburg. The former Deagon mentor agreed to lease and train the unusual prize for his friendly cafe hosts. Incredibly, Lucky Ted’s dam was Tea Table, a daughter of Rivoli and Tea For Two.

Doyle won Weetwoods with Repic (1942) and Silk Bine (1949) while his son Tommy, in partnership with his brother-in-law jockey Keith Williams, did likewise with Chestnut King (1956).

Trainer Kath Carroll, Doyle’s grand-daughter, was delighted to continue the clan’s Clifford Park tradition when she trained the 2010 Cup star Yield Curve.

Three sons in a different Doyle family also made their mark on the Weetwood. Ron was aboard Dwan (1979) while Noel and Alan put the polish on Brunchtime (1992) and Vacen Lee (2000).

1961 and 1963: High Prince began a streak of dual Weetwood winners. Inside a decade, Red Shah (1966-67) and Wine and Song  (1969-70) had also entered the annals twice.  

Miss Imagica (2012-13) is the most recent to achieve such fame. Michael Nolan kept the cushion track specialist fresh for both tilts. Nori Yamada was the Hidden Dragon mare’s rider first time around before Skye Bogenhuber became the only female to partner a Weetwood winner thus far. She was on her way to topping the jockeys’ premiership five times in a row. Bogenhuber rounded out a fine time by taking the Cup on Bang On for the Tony Gollan stable.

A major hometown victory was a long time coming for Nolan. It was exciting that it came with a steed raced by a number of his Marist Brothers Ashgrove school friends. 

1964: Pilton horseman Bob Armstrong got the money with Castle Guinea (Terry Tewes). His daughter Anne was the chestnut’s regular work rider on the family property.

Armstrong also gained a Toowoomba Cup thrill in 1960 with the Passing Glance mare La Glance and also had an association with Dawn Arrival, a descendant of The Buzzard and Molly’s Robe. 

1997: Kidman’s Cove made a real name for himself. The Marscay gelding’s eight stakes wins included the Weetwood, 1999 Canterbury Stakes, AJC Apollo Stakes and the AJC Expressway Stakes.

2009: Swiss Ace was a real high flyer for the Mick Mair-Ken Pope side. His record embraced an Oakleigh Plate victory and a second in the VRC Newmarket to Scenic Blast (2009 Royal Ascot’s King’s Stand Stakes). The Secret Savings-Rapid Serve stallion's progeny included Tennis Partner, First Serve, Miss Federer and Passing Shot.

2017: If Jumbo Prince’s nose had been as long as an elephant’s, the little fellow would have been luckier in close finishes. With Luke Tarrant in the pigskin, the Outback Prince gelding dead-heated in the Weetwood with Col’N’Lil (Josh Oliver). Michael Nolan and his nephew Ben Currie were the respective trainers.

In the 2016 BRC Members Cup, Jumbo Prince, a Queensland Derby placegetter, tied with Rudy. He was also on the podium in a Rough Habit Plate, the 2018 Weetwood and the Cups at Ipswich, Caloundra and Grafton.

SOME TOOWOOMBA CUPS IN RETROSPECT 

1919: Sid Bennet had the reins when E.J. Watt’s All Aboard, a son of Desert Gold’s sire All Black, led all the way in the new feature, the £300 Toowoomba Cup. The third placegetter was Golden Sunset (GB), the English import that was first home in the £2000 Brisbane Cup of 1920.

All Black was the great-grandsire of Basha Felika, the 1951 Caulfield Cup victor bred by “Ceb” Barnes.

1921: “Whopper” McCabe handled Dwin for the first of his successive wins but pulled the wrong rein on A.J. Wagner’s aged gelding the following year. After prevailing in the previous race, the Weetwood, with Lady Chrysippus carrying 7.0, he insisted on switching to Richleigh in the Cup because Dwin had let him down in his lead up the day before.

Permission was not forthcoming. Although Les Watterson, the only available stand-in, was a stone over the allotted 6.12, Dwin bolted in. It was the first occasion that an actual Cup was presented.  

1940: Haerepo claimed the James Taylor Handicap and Cup double. Golden Cask, in 1968-69, also mastered that quick back up feat for the Tom Franklin-Barry Stein unit. The expertise of Jack Ross was to the fore in the same events with Kandavu (1963) and Brother Mac (1964.)  The stellar hoop had opened his Cup account in 1961 with Nukeha. Barrylyn’s Idol (1972) made it four for the horseman who was Toowoomba’s premier jockey 13 times.

1941: High Rank, owned by Brisbane Amateur Turf Club Chairman Terry Ahern, was the 100th career win for apprentice Noel ”Digger’ McGrowdie.

Soon after, the bay by Chatham captured the Stradbroke and the Doomben Newmarket.

With the wartime shutdown of Brisbane’s grass circuits, High Rank was runner-up in the next two Newmarkets that were transferred to Albion Park. When his trainer Cliff Pile opted to switch to assisting with the war effort, High Rank was sold by Ahern in October 1942.

The adaptable galloper prospered at The Creek before spending two seasons in the breeding barn at Carrington Park near Warra. His effort in the 1946 Stradbroke was stunning. Abbeville, the AJC Doncaster titleholder, got a timely rails run, to grab a long head margin on High Rank (100/1).

1942: The heavily backed Spearfelt (1926 Melbourne Cup) gelding Speeder gave George Moore his only Toowoomba feature.

1949: Duke Paul, the runner-up in the Weetwood when slowly away, had no trouble covering three furlongs more in the Cup the next day. The versatile galloper, bred by Dalby’s Jim Knox, was on lease to Trevor Henderson. Barry Brown, 16, was the perfect pilot. His father Tom finished fifth on Gayborough, the horse he had booted home in the Cup two years earlier.

1950: Sefiona, in the care of Toowoomba trainer Bill Bougoure, was ridden by his nephew Doug at Clifford Park. At three, the bay by Seven Fifty, annexed Eagle Farm’s Guineas, Derby and St Leger with Russell Maddock in the irons. 

Amby’s Love, named after Jim Atkins’ brother, included the 1971 Queensland Derby and the 1974 Toowoomba Cup in his five stakes wins. Brickie, Gene’s Interest’s great-grandsire, was named for another of Atkins’ brothers. 

Atkins, the doyen of Downs conditioners, also scored in the 1977 Weetwood with Diego. 

1951: Jim McConachy (Senior) spent 40 guineas wisely when he bought Sylpha. Bullhead’s daughter was 16 times a winner at Toowoomba, Warwick and Brisbane. 

Daasrae, her Emborough foal, captured the Toowomba and Ipswich Cups. She in turn became the grand-dam of Sherona, the heroine in the 1983 Cup for Jim McConachy (Junior) and Shane Scriven. 

The Khalekhan mare also acquired the 1984 QTC Easter Cup. The affection the McConachy family had for Sylpha was reflected in the fact that her name was re-used for Sherona’s 1987 daughter to Sharivari.

1956-58: The baldy faced Navleigh (Ian Oldham) survived a protest to win her first Cup for “Doc” Payne, the President of All Whites Rugby League Club. Trainer Pat Lee used Ben Tebb when the mare scored twice for Con O’Sullivan, Navleigh’s breeder who also managed to gain 16 ribbons with his cattle and horses at the Toowoomba Show. 

In 1958, Tebb also secured the Weetwood with Malarno. The evergreen rider had posted an earlier Cup win in 1954 on Sir Helion. 

Pat Lee also saddled up the 1975 Cup winner Dawn Arrival, the King’s Robe gelding bred by Frank Armstrong. He also took care of Berry Belle, the 1955 Weetwood winner partnered by Jim Standfield.

1971: Caper Sauce was the first of five Cups for trainer John Wallace. Prince Of Persia (1976) and Distancia (1986-87) followed next but Musashi of Mieko (2012) triggered the ultimate thrill. In registering its eighth win from 13 starts on the cushion track, the Fusaichi Pegasus gelding generated unique joy because John’s son Bradley was in the cockpit.

1981-82: Odd Spot kicked off a run for the Richardson yard and jockey Kevin Birse. Les landed the first leg and his daughter Carmel rounded off the assignment for the Roma breeders Bill and Mary Nolan 12 months later. 

Carmel Richardson was in command in 1985. She was the first woman to complete the key double with Tod Minor and Lord Woden. Birse was the rider for all five triumphs.

The dreams of an octogenarian were fulfilled in the Weetwood by the Todwana gelding. In 1934, Bowenville racing enthusiast Gordon Cornern had to be content with the minor money with Detonation in the Weetwood. A half-century later in the same race, Tod Minor missed out by a head to Little Pete.

This time there was neck to spare to Brickie's grandson Foreign Interest.      

In 2006, Maryann Brosnan, courtesy of October Grey, was the next woman to saddle up a Weetwood winner.

1989: Duk Duk, bred on the Barnes family’s Canning Downs, had claims to equine aristocracy. Jim Denman legged David Wilkes on to the Claudius mare whose relatives include Ton, Tails, Dalento, Refulgent, Dalray, Molly’s Robe, Rivoli, The Buzzard and Heroic. At stud, she produced Masked Assassin (QTC Sires Produce Stakes).

1992:  History was made on March 28 when Waigani Drive beat Full Suit to win the first thoroughbred race run under lights in Australia.

Soreness had plagued early attempts to get the Church Parade (GB) gelding, with a name derived from a road in Port Moresby, to the track. 

It was then a fluke $100 buy for Kumbia horseman Alexander (Sandy) Lennox. Birdsville was the initial target that he, along with his wife Pam and Ian and Eileen Steffen, had in mind for their new unraced purchase.

Lennox, a builder by trade, was an analytical horseman with polocrosse experiences. Waigini Drive loved his environment and made himself one of the household. ”Bobby” flourished under his training regime and had a real affinity with apprentice Phillip Wolfgram, the youngster who was destined to score a Weetwood with Cutler in 1996. Wolfgram’s silken rein work served “Bobby” well.

1993: The Fixed Flush gelding Full Suit (Stephen Killen) saw to it that his mentor Michael Flanigan, who had educated Waigani Drive, was in the post-Cup limelight. He was to enjoy that spot again in 2005 with Rue The Saint (Jason McKinnon). Meanwhile Dutch Boy, Full Suit’s full brother, shared that same exposure with his trainer Bruce McLachlan in 1994. Jim Byrne, Dutch Boy’s rider, has since added Tis Love (for Michael Nolan), Cylinder Beach and Honey Toast to his Cup tally.

1995: Ron Goltz won the Cup on Solar Circle (25/1). Earlier with Bart Cummings, the chestnut was the outstanding 1989-90 Australasian sophomore. The AJC Derby and Doomben Cup placegetter annexed the STC Rosehill Guineas, Queensland Guineas and STC Phar Lap Stakes. Jim Atkins, having rejuvenated the Star Way gelding, also scored a Caloundra Cup with the veteran. 

1996: Michael Pelling booted home Flawlessly, a Luskin Star chestnut from Bill Mitchell’s string. In 1998, Mick chalked up the Weetwood Cup double with Gene’s Interest for Rex Lipp and Gentle Wind for Barry Baldwin.

2004: Up The Bid (Jason Sharp) was a last start Lord Mayor’s Cup winner at Doomben for Tricia Andersen. The Toowoomba nurse had just begun training after the death of her partner Bert Lucas. The couple bred the Unbid Slam entire.

As well as Carroll, Richardson and Andersen, other female mentors with a Cup to their credit are Desleigh Forster (Cylinder Beach, 2017) and Gai Waterhouse (Pornichet, 2015).

2007: Adavale Hornet, a gelding by the Strawberry Road stallion Admiralty, was bought by Ivan and Debbie Duke for a dollar. 

The iron horse, that did not race until it was four, went on to bank $496,205. Late in the season, at his 10th appearance, the cuddy named for a football team shed his maiden tag at Charleville. Gradually the penny dropped, the horse enjoyed the vanguard position and a cult following developed.

Adavale Hornet’s career line was 89:19-8-8. He won 15 of the 68 times his pilot was female. The blokes managed four from 21.

He thrived for Melanie Price with the Cup among her seven first placings. Track rider Paddy Ryan was one who helped turn the wayward thoroughbred into a real racehorse.

2009: The Semipalatinsk gelding Jussemi presented trainer Rex Lipp with his fourth Cup. It also marked the 50th anniversary of his grandfather Dave’s Cup excitement with Blueden. Both bred their respective winners. Sir Sensible (2008), Director's Special (2000) and Gene’s Interest (1999) were victorious for Lipp earlier .

2014: Military Move, the 2010 New Zealand Derby riband wearer, won the Golden Jubilee Challenge (Gr 1) during his stint in Hong Kong. Back home again with trainer Shaune Ritchie, the Volksraad gelding won the Manuwatu Cup (Gr 3) before disappointing in his early attempts to pick winter plums in the Sunshine State.

THE BLUE HEN 

Lumley Road mare Tautina has made an incredible contribution to Toowoomba’s key double. The pride of Eureka Stud, when put to Midnight Cowboy produced Bernalla (1979 Prime Ministers Cup, Toowoomba Cup). That mare in turn foaled Startell (2001 Weetwood, 2002 Brisbane Handicap) and Telltina (QTC Exhibition Handicap, the mother of the 205 and 2007 Weetwood star Tellem.    

Kevin Kemp and Stathi Katsidis were associated with Startell and Tellem. Kemp’s jockey for Typhoon Red’s Weetwood win in 2013 was Nozi Tomizawa. Vacen Lee (2000) and Devil (2004) were among the five Weetwoods Katsidis logged up.

LOOKING FORWARD 

Both the Weetwood and Toowoomba Cup have been run over varying distances on both turf and synthetic surfaces. Although for decades the carnival ran parallel to the Toowoomba Show, both races have been decided at varying times of the season.

As the introduction to Queensland’s Spring Racing Carnival, the day now boasts over $600,000 in prizemoney across nine races.

A stellar field of 14 will line up in the Weetwood Handicap, with the Tony and Maddysen Sears-trained Yellow Brick shooting to capitalise on his first-up run this Saturday and gift Tony a second crown in seven years.

Meanwhile in the Toowoomba Cup, the Queensland Northern Winter Carnival “Cups King” Namazu makes his return for more gold but will have to defeat an in-form Nikau Spur – for Corey and Kylie Geran – if he is to claim ultimate bragging rights in the co-feature of the day.