Image – Bradley Photos.
There are some terrific yarns in Australia’s rich horse racing history, but don’t be surprised if the 2023 Bong Bong Cup goes down as one of the truly great underdog stories.
Rivalling Prince of Penzance’s 2015 Melbourne Cup win for Michelle Payne, Maddy Wright and Natalie Jarvis trekked to Bong Bong on Friday, fully aware that their backs were against the wall, with California August one of the outsiders in the $20,000 feature.
While the 1560m event did fall away with three scratchings, it’s a race that has been dominated by city and provincial trainers in recent years, and the country-based pair were coming up against Australia’s first lady of the turf, Gai Waterhouse, who, with her co-trainer Adrian Bott, started $1.80 favourite Ritzytwenties (Leandro Ribeiro)
Scone trainer Rodney Northam also had Tilted Tycoon ($4.40), who was being ridden by the man of the moment, Anthony ‘Tubba’ Williams.
At the same time, Victorian visitor Dan McCarthy made the long trip into NSW with Abseiler (Catherine Masters, $6).
Despite the many side plots capturing the mainstream media’s attention, Jarvis and Wright went about their business quietly at Bong Bong.
Then, when the moment arrived, they pounced on a winning opportunity in what can only be described as Australia’s most prestigious picnic race.
Race caller Anthony Manton described the eight-furlong event as a ‘brutally run Bong Bong Cup’ as Tubba Williams took on Leandro Ribeiro, with neither jockey willing to give up the speed battle as they cruised along at a good clip, leading the field some five and six lengths midway through the race.
Wright, who only recently returned to race riding, was waiting in the wings on California August before peeling three wide, and with Tilted Tycoon done for, Ritzytwenties was left to defend the ‘fresh horse on the scene’.
The Sydney galloper was game to the line, but Wright had her head down and drove the Moruya-trained California August to the line.
In a thrilling finish and record time of 1:35.22, Wright and California August got the bob in, winning by a nostril from Ritzietwenties, while Abseiler was over three lengths away in third.
“I was in shock after the win,” Wright told NSW Country and Picnic Racing.
Image – Bradley Photos.
“It’s the most prestigious race on the circuit, and to win it for Nat and Luke (Jarvis) made it so much bigger.
“When we crossed the line, I didn’t know I had got there, and usually, if it is a bit closer, you can turn your head and pick if you were in front or not, but for those last three strides, I had my head down and hands up near his ear, saying ‘get up, get up’, and I only looked after the post.
“Just after the line, Leo said he didn’t know, and I didn’t find out until I got back to the mounting yard.”
Wright won her first Bong Bong Cup in 2018 when she coincidently rode the Waterhouse and Bott-trained Zeppelin to victory.
Still, Friday’s victory was the biggest of her career, even trumping her famous win on the Rodney Robb-trained Security Code in the inaugural $50,000 Picnic Champion Series final in 2017.
“It didn’t really sink in until I saw Nat, Luke, and Mel (Ick), and they were all cheering in the mounting hard, and that’s when I thought, ‘Oh my god, I’ve won; I’ve beaten Gai’,” Wright said.
“I reckon this is the biggest race I’ve won, and I said to Nat and Luke on the way home, ‘This is my biggest achievement so far’, and it trumps the picnic championship win.”
Wright agreed it was a real underdog story, with most pundits declaring Ritzytwenties ‘a moral’ leading into the event.
“I wasn’t confident he would win, but I knew we would be in for a chance if he ran up to his best,” Wright said.
“Everyone knew Gai’s horse was the one to beat, and people were saying, ‘It just wins’, but when those leaders took off out in front, and the race panned out how it did, I was left rubbing my hands together because I knew it put us right in the race.”
It was a memorable win for connections, with owner Mel Ick a loyal supporter of the stable, as was her late husband, Daniel Ick.
Wright was thrilled to win the race for Mel, Nat, Luke, and everyone involved.
“They’ve been so supportive with whatever I wanted to do, and I can’t thank them enough,” Wright said.
“I remember when I said I wanted to make a comeback, and they took a horse to the trials for me, even though they have a trialling apprentice, and they’ve taken some really nice sensible older horses to the picnics for me to give me a couple of nice meetings back.
“So, to reward them like that, it means the world.”
Wright’s win arrived in front of a massive crowd as Bong Bong made a triumphant return to racing on Friday.
On the big day, Wayne Wheatley rode a winning double, with the Brett Lazzarini-trained Feng ($3.20) winning the 1000m Maiden Plate and Sarah Murray-Leslie-trained Media Chick ($13) too good in the 1000m Class Two Handicap.
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