Wayne Oakenfull’s newest cult horse, Connewarre, wrote his name in the Goondiwindi Race Club’s history books on Saturday.
Following his win for Yvette Lewis in the Inglewood Cup (1000m) on Sunday, July 5, the five-year-old Whittington gelding returned to Gunsynd Park on Saturday and prevailed for Chris Whiteley in the Boggabilla Cup (1400m).
It was an impressive training performance, with Connewarre freshened in the lead-up to his win in the Inglewood Cup before backing up and getting the job done over the extra distance on Saturday.
“The bottom line is that he is fit, and the thing is, he was fit and fresh for the first one, and for the second one, we got that extra bit of work into him,” Oakenfull told Country Punter.
“It was all him, and we are tickled pink; he’s going good.”
A Horse With a Story
Previously trained by Toowoomba’s Matt Kropp, Connewarre won five races in Queensland, landing results at Toowoomba (twice), Warwick, Rockhampton, and Dalby before being put through the Magic Millions Digital Sale in January.
Oakenfull purchased him, and that has proven to be an astute decision, with Connewarre already earning just shy of $20,000 from four starts under his new trainer.
“In all fairness, I am friends with Matt Kropp, and at the time, he had way too many horses, but he was up front and said, ‘If you take him and spell him, he goes quite good,’” Oakenfull said.
“He said he just needed a break and to stay away from wet and shifty tracks; it makes it easier knowing those things, so he had a freshen-up and has raced well.”
Building Through the Grades
Oakenfull wasn’t getting ahead of himself, with Connewarre having raced at the picnics before his Goondiwindi victories.
First-up for the Inverell stable, he won the 950m Moree Picnic Bracelet on May 23 before finishing second in the Mallawa Picnic Bracelet on June 6, with Ash Boyd in the saddle on both occasions.
“I don’t want to get too excited, as two of his races were at the picnics, and that’s a bit lower class of racing than Goondiwindi on Saturday, but he came in with good form and has raced well,” Oakenfull said.
“It’s nice to get a good one, as the guys that race him with me are great people, great supporters and good friends; we’re having fun, and it has been a while between drinks.”
Summer Targets Locked In
Connewarre will now head to the paddock before being set for a run of three country cups at Glen Innes, Deepwater, and Walcha in January and February.
“He’ll ease up now — he’s got a little bit of a hoof we have to keep an eye on, and he’s done a good job, so he’ll go out for a month to six weeks,” Oakenfull said.
“Plus, it’s a terrible time to have a horse in work at Inverell, so we’ll give him some time off and have him ready for Glen Innes, Deepwater, and Walcha.”
