Travelling Cavanough team on fire in Central West

By Jordan Gerrans

The Central West division of the Brett Cavanough stable at one stage were keeping a tally of how many winners they had earned since their Queensland trip commenced earlier this year.

Cavanough’s assistant trainer Stephanie Alexander jokes that as the victories kept rolling in, it got a bit out of hand and they eventually gave up on the tally.

What started as a month-long stint in regional Queensland for Alexander and travelling apprentice Kelsey Lenton has extended as the winners kept coming.

They have five winners at a strike rate of 29.4 per cent since the new season commenced to go with 12.5 triumphs at the back end of the 2023-24 campaign, which were won at a stunning 32.9 per cent.

Since the start of June, they have 17.5 winners from their Barcaldine base around the Central West.

The team will head further west from their Barcaldine base this Saturday as Betoota Race Club host their annual meeting.

“We always came up with a hope we would get a few winners – we were meant to be here for four weeks – and they have just kept backing up each week,” Alexander said.

“The horses have kept producing so it was a bit of an idea to stay while they are going well. It has been so wet on the Northern Rivers so that was why we wanted to come up originally.

“It has been good to get winners and while they are still winning, we will stay up here. I think we may look to stay for the remainder of the local season.”

Alexander has worked for the Cavanough barn for more than a decade and has been based at a number of his different satellite operations over the time.

The racing in the Central West slows down between December and the middle of February because of the heat in the region.

Harbour Gold was victorious for the Cavanough team at Aramac last Saturday, which preceded a Longreach treble and success at Tambo in the weeks prior.

They have a team of five nominated for Betoota which will serve as a perfect entrée for the popular Birdsville carnival.

The Scone-based Cavanough sent Alexander and Lenton out west from their original Northern Rivers satellite stable as the wet conditions there were limiting how many starters they could have regularly.

They were originally slated to head home after the Alpha meeting which was on the last Saturday in June.

The team walked away with an Alpha double on that occasion and they haven’t looked back since.

They came out with six horses a few months back and now have 10 in work.

The Hanger Cat was one of the two Cavanough winners at Alpha, claiming an Open Handicap over 1000 metres.

The five-year-old gelding has been the team’s flag bearer in the bush, saluting on five straight trips to the races before his huge winning run came to an end at Tambo last start.

He notched winners at Longreach – twice – Barcaldine, Alpha and McKinlay.

He arrived in the Sunshine State with just two victories to his resume, which has quickly ballooned to seven.

Alexander believes the quieter nature of Barcaldine has helped The Hanger Cat thrive, which is the case with a number of the gallopers in the team.

“They are more relaxed out here a lot of the horses, enjoying the chilled-out lifestyle of it all,” Alexander said.

“They can be raced a little more often if they have that mentally. There are times when we are the only ones at the track at Barcaldine and some horses appreciate that, they are able to relax.

“The Barcaldine track is a great one and the council do a good job of maintaining it.

“The Hanger Cat was only beaten in the Tambo Cup and he will go around again soon.

“He has had a fair bit of racing so we decided to give him a freshen up as there was not too much around for him between now and then. He is a tough horse.”

The Hanger Cat is nominated for the Open Handicap over 1000 metres at Betoota this Saturday.

Apprentice hoop Lenton – who was previously based in Townsville –  has also picked up plenty of outside rides during the trip.

The 22-year-old has travelled to Mount Isa and Hughenden - tracks where the Cavanough has not had starters at - with success in recent weeks.

“We are enjoying it out here,” Alexander said.

“Kelsey is riding a lot of winners and is happy out here, she is nearly down to 1.5 kg with her claim.

“It is good to get the opportunity for her, make a lot of new connections and ride as much as possible.”