Beau Rain's remarkable comeback continues in Daintree Guineas

By Glenn Davis

Trainer Bill Kenning is hopeful Beau Rain’s resurgence will continue in the Magic Millions Daintree Guineas in Cairns on Saturday after a race fall almost ended his career early last year.

Beau Rain and another horse crashed to the turf leaving the Townsville sprinter battered and bruised after finishing second in a two-year-old race in Mackay in February of last year.

“He did a somersault when he and another horse came down just past the post,” Kenning said.

“At first, I thought he broke his neck and he was in a bad way.

“When I took him home, he couldn’t get up and it took him two or three months to get over it before we found he had another problem with his teeth.

“He had four teeth knocked out from the fall and we didn’t know until later on that they were dead so we took him to a dentist at Bowen who fixed him.”

Kenning still marvels how Beau Rain was able to make a full recovery after battling “stage fright” in his races.

“He had no confidence and was scared of other horses in his races and we’ve only just got him back where he’s been able to win two of his past four runs,” Kenning said.

Beau Rain has never raced in Cairns but Kenning is confident the booking of Lacey Morrison will offset any disadvantage.

“Cairns is a tricky track but Lacey has ridden him three times for two wins and she knows the track well,” Kenning said.

Kenning is more concerned with Beau Rain having to carry top weight of 60kgs in the Daintree Guineas.

“He’s got a big weight and he’s only a little horse so if he can win with this weight, he could be a Cups horse next year,” Kenning said.

Beau Rain returned to Mackay for the first time since his fall when second to the Clinton Taylor-trained Viennawaitsforyou in the Whitsunday Guineas on August 10.

“He was very unlucky not to win when he went back to Mackay for the first time since his fall there,” Kenning said.

Kenning was a popular jockey when he rode around South East Queensland before his career in the saddle was cut short after badly breaking a leg in a race fall.

"I won the Townsville and Rockhampton Cups when I was riding but I got busted-up fairly badly in a fall," Kenning said.