Country Spotlight: Mount Isa reflects on one of their great contributors

By Jordan Gerrans

A horse that is raced with the aim of creating interest in the industry will be on show as Mount Isa reflects on one its great contributors to the code this week.

The North West Queensland club will be the centre of the Sunshine State’s attention across the screens of Sky Racing this Thursday with one of their few TAB meetings for the season.

The meeting – which will consist of seven races – also coincides with the Mailman Express, which is one of the most popular events in the outback city.

Named after the late Wally Mailman, the Mailman Express showcases station horses racing against the clock in a timed 200 metre sprint down the straight.

The Mailman Express is the traditional lead in event to kick-start the rodeo festivities in Mount Isa, which is one of the most well-attended events in the area.

Mailman was a renowned horseman that was awarded life membership of the Mount Isa Race Club in the 1990s.

He was a significant contributor to the thoroughbred racing code in the North West as well as also being heavily involved with rodeo.

Mount Isa Race Club committee member Mick Tully – who is also a Mount Isa City Councillor – believes it is key that the industry continues to reflect on those that paved the way for racing as it is today.

Mailman also worked as the swab steward in Mount Isa Race Club for almost three decades before he passed away.

“It is great that we recognise past people from the Mount Isa area who did a lot for the rodeo, as well as the community,” Tully said.

“Wally Mailman was involved in all that, rodeo and racing, and his family still has ties to the area, with Deborah and Jason.

“It is quite spectacular, really.”

The club will host seven TAB races on Thursday before the attention turns to the station horses racing on the same track.

The top 10 station horses from the heats will go into a Final and the horse and rider with best 200 metre time claiming the prize.

The event is an important one for the sustainability of the Mount Isa Race Club every year.

“A lot of people come back to Mount Isa for the rodeo, it is the start of the festivities with the street parties on Wednesday and the Mailman on Thursday,” Tully said.

“Then we have the rodeo over the following three days.

“It is an event for us that if we did not have it, we would struggle throughout the year, it is a good income earner for the race club.

“It is one of the biggest events in Mount Isa as a town with the rodeo.

“With us racing through the day and then the Mailman at night.

“We get a good crowd for the TAB meeting; it will look good on Sky on Thursday with lots of people at the club.”

The Mailman Express and the three days of rodeo following it is all about community spirit in the bush.

And, before the rodeo kicks off in Mount Isa this week, a galloper that is all about bringing people together will contest the Open Handicap over 1450 metres.

To develop more interest in ownership and racing in general in the region, Mount Isa Race Club auctioned off a race horse earlier this year.

Don’t Despair – a former Brisbane-based galloper - was purchased by the club and sold at auction at the cocktail party prior to the Mount Isa Cup.

“As a committee, we were talking about how to create a bit more interest in the Cup weekend,” club president Jay Morris said.

“I’ve been to a few functions and Calcutta’s and I remember at Alice Springs they used to buy some yearlings and auction them off at the casino on their Cup weekend.

“Steve Clauson is on the committee and is always looking at horse auctions so we told him to keep an eye out for a horse the club could buy.”

Tully purchased him for $15,500 and has since syndicated shares to other North West locals, including Mal MacRae, Tammy Parry, Sean Wade, Holly Robertson, Kieran Tully and Clauson.

“It was a good fund-raiser for the club and hopefully we can do it again next year,” Morris, who is also a local trainer as well as being the club president, said.

“If the horse wins a few races I’m sure the bidding will be even stronger.”

Many of new owners of the son of Dissident had long had an interest in racing but they had never dived into ownership.

“That was the reason I bought the horse and I wanted to make a bit of money for the club,” Tully said.

“Hopefully, it can bring a bit of interest as there was a bit of a crowd there on the night before the Mount Isa Cup.

“The club auctioned the horse off and I got him and syndicated the horse out to a handful of people.

“There is several people in the horse’s ownership that have been around racing for a long time but never owned a horse before this.

“They had long had an interest in racing but no specific ties to racing, it is great to have those people be involved.”

The former Steven O'Dea and Matthew Hoysted-trained gelding won his first start in the region – getting the cash at Julia Creek late last month – as he looks to step up in distance this Thursday.

He led all of the way in the Benchmark 65 over 1350 metre with Jason Hoopert in the saddle.

After Tully purchased the horse, he gave him to Morris to train.

The six-year-old gelding won five races at Caloundra – the only track he was successful at in South East Queensland – before transferring to the regional area.

Racing on the sand and dirt in the bush, being an on-pace runner can be helpful and that is how Don’t Despair won his first race at Julia Creek last month.

“You need a horse that is going to up on the pace on these dirt tracks out our way,” Tully said.

“If you jump on the bunny and can stay in front then they are a good chance.

“Hopefully, we can have a bit of fun with the horse as he went well.”

When purchasing the galloper, Tully had the iconic Birdsville Cup in mind later this year.

After Thursday’s TAB race day, the Mount Isa club host their next TAB meeting in the middle of October, falling on a Monday afternoon.

Country spotlight will be a regular feature that shines a light on the unique and individual racing clubs and participants across Queensland.