QUALIFYING FOR THE COUNTRY CUPS CHALLENGE FINAL IS NOT AN EASY TASK

By Graham Potter | Saturday, October 7, 2023

Make no mistake, trying to land a spot in the Country Cups Challenge final is a tough task.

KO Racing and the Corey and Kylie Geran training partnership brought a three-pronged attack to that game on October 7, sending Torbreck out to the contest the Country Cups Challenge Qualifier / Eidsvold Cup Race-day and doubling up with Vinasta and Sammy in the Country Cups Challenge Qualifier / Tara Cup Raceday, which was rescheduled to take place at Dalby after, according to a Racing Queensland media release, ‘Ongoing hot and dry conditions - with no rain - have made the Tara track unsuitable for racing.’

At Dalby, the $2 favourite Office Jim was prominent from the break, settling in a clear second place behind the tearaway leader Parko ($9), while Vinasta ($6) took the trail in fourth and Sammy raced well back, some six to seven lengths off the leader in the early part.

Coming to the home turn Office Jim ducked through on the inside of the tiring Parko to take up the lead on straightening, with Gary Geran now having Vinasta right on the back of the new leader. At that stage Sammy, with Nozi Tomizawa in the saddle,was also on the move, making ground five wide as he lined up his final finishing effort.

In spite of the constant pressure from Vinasta, Office Jim never faltered in the home straight being strong enough to the line to win by 0.80 lengths from Sammy who ran on best of the rest to claim the runner-up slot and push Vanasta back into third place.
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At Eidsvold, Torbreck ($8.50) did everything but win the Eidsvold Cup Country Cups Qualifier.

It was a really brave performance from the daughter of Sebring.

The six-year-old was chased up into the leading line from barrier eight early by Kelly Gates, remained engaged in a hectic battle for the lead, matching strides with the $3 favourite Kobe Rocks all the way to the home turn and in the first half of the straight ... and then, just when she had shown the resilience to beat off Kobe Rock’s challenge, the $8.50 chance Fire King extended with meaning down the centre of the track to snare Torbreck in the final few strides, relegating the Geran trained runner into second place.

It is still early days in the Country Cups Challenge, with ten qualifiers still due to take place before the $200 000 final which will be run over 1600m on at Doomben on December 2.
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On the same day Rudimentary also landed a second place finish for the Team Geran / KO Racing brand.

The chestnut claimed that runner-up spot in a Band 0-55 Handicap over 1625m at Toowoomba, building on his third place finish at Goondiwindi over 1800m in his previous start.

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