Ballards special Cloncurry Cup triumph

By Jordan Gerrans

Just months after his 70th birthday, respected North West hoop Keith Ballard is still going as strong as ever. 

The evergreen rider claimed the feature Cloncurry Cup on Friday afternoon with a sparkling ride. 

To make the occasion even more significant, he partnered with his wife Denise to nab the event. 

Denise prepares Cup winner Vigorous Flow with Keith doing the riding. 

Keith celebrated his 70th birthday in late July of this year and is the oldest jockey currently riding in Australia.

"It was awesome," Denise said of the ride her husband put in to lift Vigorous Flow.

"It is really good to see him do it."

Keith and Denise are no strangers to winning Cup races in the bush.

Between them they have won many of the big regional races through the North and Central West of the Sunshine State. 

Vigorous Flow scored by almost two lengths in the mile event. 

The Ballards are based down the ride in Mount Isa. 

The treasured Ballard family are members of the Queensland Racing Hall of Fame for their service to the sport over decades.

Alongside Keith and Denise, their son Dan also rode on the Cloncurry card on Friday. 

The Cloncurry Cup is a qualifying heat for the $200,000 Country Cups Challenge Final over 1600 metres at Doomben on December 2.

Speaking post-race on Friday afternoon at Cloncurry, Denise said she would not commit to heading to Brisbane for the big dance with the bay gelding.

"He has been in work for so long," the top country trainer said.

"We will see how he goes, but I will not be making a decision just yet."

Vigorous Flow has now won three races for the Ballards after previously doing his racing with the Snowden camp in Sydney until the middle of 2022. 

Cloncurry and District Race Club Secretary Harry Evans said their annual Cup meeting was always a big event for the local community in the North West.

"We are proud to have one TAB meeting every year and it brings a diverse crowd to the town of Cloncurry," Evans said.

"It gives the club the chance to promote our town of Cloncurry.

"It is important to spread the message of our town to people around the country and overseas with the TAB meeting being broadcast around the world."

It was the Ballard show in the feature races on Friday at Cloncurry. 

Keith's son Dan claimed the Country Stampede qualifier aboard the Tanya Parry-trained Wicked Wiki. 

Wicked Wiki can now progress to the $105,000 Country Stampede Final at Doomben in December.

Through four races on the program on Friday, the Ballards had ridden three of the winners - with two going the way of Dan and one for his old man.