New crusade for former North West club boss

By Jordan Gerrans

Former Mount Isa Race Club boss Peter Inwood has made the successful transition to training gallopers this year and says he is enjoying the challenge that comes along with it.

The long-time North West local has owned horses for decades as well as focusing on racing administration in the regional city.

He prepared his first TAB winner on Monday as The Last Crusade led throughout to score at Buchanan Park in Mount Isa.

The 60-year-old collected his maiden victory as a trainer in early March when Sunvalley Dreaming won at the same track.

The Last Crusade was previously prepared by Darby Amos in North Queensland and the four-year-old gelding had been edging closer to a breakthrough North West victory.

He had placed in four of his last five efforts before hoop Nor Yadi led from start to finish aboard the gelding in a 0 – 50 Handicap over 1450 metres on Monday. 

“He has showed some promise and he needed a bit of luck,” Inwood said.

“He went forward on him, Nor rides him good, and that is where he needed to be.

“It is good to see him get there at last. He is all heart, the horse.”

The Last Crusade is likely to have his next assignment at Cloncurry and District Race Club early in November.

“He should have won his last couple, he has had a bit of bad luck,” Inwood said.

“He is not a bad little horse – he is only a little pony really. He has a good little character and he has the will to win, as well.

“He likes to chase and kicks on; he got headed well on Monday but he came back again and got the other horse down.

“He will be a good horse for out here.”

The Last Crusade was one of three gallopers Inwood started on Monday as TAB racing headed to Mount Isa.

Inwood stable mates River Danzka and Hotstep did not figure in the finish in their respective assignments.

Inwood has hopes Hotstep will make the grade in the area despite his first-up effort.

Formerly trained by Jack Bruce in South East Queensland, the son of Lonhro won well at Ipswich in November of last year and had been off the racing scene for almost a year before Monday's return. 

“I think he has a future, he is a nice big horse,” the trainer said.

“Jack did well with him.

“He had a good record for him and it was probably a culture shock for the horse as he had not had a start for 10 months before Monday.

“He will get acclimatised to the heat out here eventually after a few months.”

As well as being a former Mount Isa Race Club boss, Inwood was also on Racing Queensland’s Country Racing Panel back in 2016.

Inwood’s brother Patrick previously held a trainers licence and Peter helped him around his stable as well as owning horses in the team.

In more recent years, Inwood has owned horses with fellow Mount Isa trainer Justin Bawden before opting to open his own stable earlier this year.

He prepares a small team of around six at a time.

“I had horses here with a couple of other people and I thought I would have a go myself,” he said.

“It is enjoyable, it is something to do as a hobby.

“We had a fair bit of success in those old days with my brother, we had 25 horses in work at one stage.”