Gold medal moment for 'Team Rowe' in Cleveland Bay

By Glenn Davis

Veteran Cairns co-trainer Trevor Rowe hopes to share in a gold medal moment with son Peter when the pair bid for their first Cleveland Bay Handicap at Townsville on Saturday.

For Trevor, it will be the proudest moment in his 40-plus year training career to share the gold medal podium with his son if their stable flag bearer Smart Image wins the 1300 metre feature.

Trevor Rowe has won a host of country feature races during his long career including a Cairns Newmarket and Cairns Cup in 2016 but has missed the mark so far in the Cleveland Bay.

“Peter has been by my side since he could walk,” Trevor said.

“He’s been with me all the way, so it’ll be a pretty special moment for me, if we win the Cleveland Bay.”

'Team Rowe' has had great success since starting its training partnership almost two years ago but had no luck in last year’s Cleveland Bay when Smart Image finished eighth to the Kevin Miller-trained Isis Carmella.

“He was near the end of his campaign last year and had a wide draw in the Cleveland Bay,” Trevor said.

“In big races you need a bit of luck go your way and he didn’t have any.

“I’ve never won the Townsville Cup or Cleveland Bay, but I’ve won just about every other feature race up here.

“I think he’ll go very well this time and you’ll see the best of him.”

Smart Image has won nine races for 'Team Rowe' and was one of the first starters the duo saddled after forming their training partnership.

The seven-year-old is coming off a last start eighth when he lumped 66kgs in a 1200 metre Open Handicap at Townsville on July 20.

It followed a first-up win at Townsville after running once in Brisbane for Brian Smith at Eagle Farm.

“We sent him south for the Magic Millions Sprint at the Gold Coast in January, but he didn’t run well, and a lot of things went wrong on the day when he was moved around from stall to stall,” Trevor said.

“We spelled him down there and gave him a couple of Brisbane runs, but he didn’t seem to like the environment, so we brought him home for the winter races here.”

Former disability worker Cliff Little owns Smart Image and races the Rex Lipp-trained Cifrado who won last year’s Group 2 BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes at Eagle Farm.

Little’s life changed forever the night he won $40 million on lotto from a $26 ticket which was the catalyst to his involvement in racing.

Her paid $320,000 for Cifrado at the Magic Millions sales and only $27,500 for Smart Image at an online auction.