Tanya Parry with a big team set for Mount Isa

By Glenn Davis

Julia Creek trainer Tanya Parry is gearing up for a massive day of racing when she heads to Mount Isa on Tuesday with a huge team of starters.

The Mount Isa Race Club will conduct a rare Tuesday TAB meeting with eight races scheduled.

Parry has the biggest stable in the state’s North West with 38 horses in her barn at Julia Creek, about a three hours' drive from Mount Isa.

She has won the local trainers’ premiership too many times to remember and claimed the 2021 Queensland Country Trainers' premiership.

Parry isn’t getting ahead of herself and has reservations about a possible career best haul at Mount Isa.

“I’ve trained four winners out of five a few times at non-TAB meetings and I’ve trained four winners at a TAB meeting once,” Parry recalled.

Parry will saddle up a three pronged attack in the Open Handicap with Wicked Wiki, Splasher and Louie The Legend.

The reserved Parry finds it hard to split her trio in the 1200 metre Open Handicap. 

Wicked Wiki will be ridden by Dan Ballard and carries top weight of 64kgs, eight kilograms more than stable mates Splasher and Louie The Legend.

Ballard’s father, veteran jockey Keith Ballard, pilots Splasher while Terrence Hill will partner Louie The Legend.

Keith Ballard recently turned 70 and according to Kevin Ring from the Australian Jockeys' Association, he is the oldest jockey currently riding in the country.

Queensland Hall Of Fame jockey Tony Erhart rode well into his 60’s before retiring from the saddle while Western Australian jockey Danny Miller called time on his career in the saddle at 70 in 2018.

The 11-year-old Wicked Wiki will be chasing win number 26 at his 118th start on Tuesday and is coming off a commanding win in the Country Stampede qualifier at Cloncurry on October 13.

“Wicked Wiki is going good as is Splasher and Louie The Legend but it’s a hard race,” Parry said.

Splasher is having his third start for Parry since being moved on for the John Manzelmann stable.

He won on debut for Parry at Richmond on October 7 before running a close second to Wicked Wiki at Cloncurry last start while seven-time career winner Louie The Legend ran home strongly last start when fourth to Scarpa over 1000 metres at Cloncurry.